DEFENCE

Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment programme.

Geoff Hoon: The Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme work was completed in 2001. A summary of the study and its conclusions was placed in the Library of the House in February 2002.

Kosovo

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the Multinational Brigade Centre led by the United Kingdom in Kosovo to be merged with the French-led Multinational Brigade North; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The future of the Multinational Brigades in Kosovo will be decided in the light of the major review currently being undertaken by NATO of its operations in the Balkans. The review, entitled the Joint Operational Area Review, will be discussed by NATO Foreign Ministers later this month. We welcome the review and remain committed to maintaining a military contribution to NATO peacekeeping in the Balkans. The form that this contribution will take has yet to be decided.

NATO

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Chief of the EU military staff regarding organisational change in NATO; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: None.

NATO

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) NATO counterparts regarding organisational change in NATO; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Preparations for this November's NATO Summit in Prague include work on a range of issues (including NATO's command and force structures, enlargement, resource management and Headquarters structures and processes) with organisational implications. I discuss these issues on a regular basis with NATO colleagues. We also work to ensure good contacts with the EU in relevant areas.

NATO

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterparts regarding creation of a Special Operations Coordination Centre at SHAPE; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: None.

European Airlift Capacity

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received from his US counterpart regarding a creation of European Mobility Command to coordinate existing and future European airlift assets; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: None. We are working closely with allies and with NATO staffs to develop a capabilities improvements programme to build upon NATO's Defence Capabilities Initiative at the Prague Summit in November, and it is likely that improvements in airlift will continue to be a key objective. The existing European Airlift Co-ordination Cell already provides a means of sharing airlift capacity among a number of European countries.

European Air Chiefs Conference

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the European Air Chiefs Conference meeting of 18 April.

Geoff Hoon: This was the latest regular meeting of the heads of 20 air forces within the forum of the European Air Chiefs Conference (EURAC) which was established in 1993. The aim of EURAC is to improve co-operation and understanding among European air forces, thereby increasing their efficiency and effectiveness.
	Copies of the recent EURAC Air Power Paper "A European Perspective on Air Power" have been placed in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Graduate Training Scheme

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he is taking to establish a national graduate training scheme for local government.

Alan Whitehead: The Employers' Organisation (EO) has put in place a national graduate development programme (NGDP) for local government, which begins in September this year. This programme is to address the need to recruit a new generation of managers with the leadership potential to shape the future of local government.

Vacant Council Seats

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many seats on parish and town councils in England and Wales were vacant on 1 January in each year since 1995.

Alan Whitehead: This information is not held centrally.

Electronic Voting

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research projects have been commissioned by his Department into electronic voting since June 2000; and if he will state in each case (a) the organisation or consortium members carrying out the research, (b) the cost, (c) the purpose and title, (d) the date on which the research was or is due to be delivered to his Department and (e) the date or expected date of publication of the results.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The Department has commissioned one research project into this area since June 2000. It is entitled 'The Implementation of Electronic Voting' and is being undertaken by De Montfort university at a cost of £84,910. The project has examined the practical requirements for the implementation of remote electronic voting. It is intended to publish the research later this month.

Local Government

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will take steps to rectify the disparity in total external support to local authorities covering the Bromsgrove area in the local government White Paper;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that the new grant formula that will replace standard spending assessment will be (a) fairer, (b) simpler and (c) will address the needs of each classes of authority.

Alan Whitehead: We are working to develop options for fairer and more intelligible grant distribution formulae. We will consult on options over the summer and will consider the responses when we come to take decisions.

MOX Fuel Shipment

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether a change in the material used to fill the package to be used to transport the mox fuel from Japan to Sellafield from argon gas to water requires the flask to be re-certified, proven and tested in compliance with the IAEA Safety Series 6 Regulations of the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials.

David Jamieson: The certificate of approval ceases to have effect in the event of any alteration to the composition of the package, the package design or in any of the facts stated in the application unless the Competent Authority confirms the certificate notwithstanding the alteration.

MOX Fuel Shipment

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the approval process for the shipment and the transport package for the mox fuel due to be returned from Japan to Sellafield has assessed the level of risk and consequences for all reasonably foreseeable incidents that could arise in United Kingdom territorial waters and during docking, handling and onward transport from Barrow to Sellafield, including (a) fuel criticality events, (b) flask drop and impact incidents, (c) fire and/or explosion on board the ship, (d) sinking of the ship and (e) significant incidents during the rail transport phase.

David Jamieson: The approval process assesses against the performance standards and test conditions prescribed in the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which establish standards of safety designed to provide an acceptable level of control of the radiation, criticality and thermal hazards to persons, property and the environment, taking into account routine, normal and accident conditions of transport.

QEII Centre

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what coolant will be used in the replacement of the air conditioning and water coolant for the QEII Centre.

Alan Whitehead: Specialist advisers have considered all technological alternatives for the replacement of these air conditioning chillers. The choice of refrigerant will be in accordance with the relevant Government policies and I will be happy to confirm the final refrigerant selection within the next two months.

Parish Councils

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what role parish councils will play in the revised planning procedures envisaged by the Government for (a) major infrastructure projects and (b) other planning applications.

Sally Keeble: Local planning authorities are required to consult or notify various organisations and bodies. This includes parish councils that have asked to be notified of certain applications. We are concerned that the present arrangements for consulting expert bodies on planning and other cases are not working as effectively as they might. The distinction between statutory and non- statutory consultees has become blurred and consultation can often be a source of delay.
	One option proposed in our consultation paper "Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change" is to clarify the basis of determining whether bodies should be statutory consultees and reduce their number. Decisions about which bodies might in future be statutory consultees will be made in the light of the consultation. The consultation paper also contains a number of proposals to promote better engagement of local communities in shaping the future development of their areas.
	We have proposed the introduction of a new procedure which would enable Parliament to make a decision in principle on certain major infrastructure projects. It is for Parliament to determine how this procedure might operate and how representations from interested organisations, such as parish councils, might be considered.

Local Authority Housing

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will list (a) the deprived local authority housing estates and (b) the local authority and local authority wards that those estates fall into, referred to in DETR, Housing Research Summary No.91 (1998);
	(2)  which of the deprived local authority housing estates referred to in DETR, Housing Research Summary No.91 (1998) have subsequently been part of a stock transfer to housing associations.

Stephen Byers: Housing Research Summary No. 91 (1998) is not about research on local authority estates as it presents findings from "Key research on easier home buying and selling".

Social Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the outcome of the round of applications for PFI credits for additional social housing and joint service centres.

Nick Raynsford: I am announcing today the names of 10 local authorities with whom my Department will work on the development of PFI schemes. There will be five schemes providing additional social housing and five for joint service centres.
	The authorities proposing the housing schemes are: Birmingham city council, London borough of Brent, London borough of Harrow, Slough borough council and Warrington borough council.
	These schemes aim to provide additional social housing. They will help to increase the supply of affordable housing, help regenerate areas of low demand or provide housing for vulnerable groups.
	The authorities seeking support for joint service centres are: Leeds city council, Manchester city council, Newcastle city council, North Tyneside council and Shropshire.
	The purpose of these schemes is to give local communities improved access to a wide range of information and services and to integrate the information and services to be provided by the local authority with other local agencies.
	We were impressed with the quality of all the bids received and it was a difficult choice as to which schemes were selected.
	I congratulate those authorities which were successful in this round. We look forward to working with them to fully develop these bids into value for money projects.
	Whether any of the above schemes ultimately proceed will depend on authorities working up business cases which satisfy the scrutiny of the interdepartmental project review group (PRG), which considers all local government PFI schemes seeking central Government support. Endorsement by PRG is essential before schemes can be put out to tender.
	The total value of the PFI credits that will be allocated, if all these schemes are endorsed and proceed to contract signature, is £100 million.

Fire Services

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total cost has been of carrying out the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council Fire Cover Review; what fees have been paid to external consultants; and what the cost has been per consultant used.

Alan Whitehead: Details of the costs paid to date (end March 2002) to consultants during the review of fire cover commissioned by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council are set out in the table.
	
		Spent £000 
		
			 Contractor 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Total 
		
		
			 Entec 16 64 30 47 157 
			 Systems Options 78 205 203 98 584 
			 Mott MacDonald — 27 37 7 71 
			 KPMG — 57 174 60 291 
			 Greenstreet Berman — 0 0 54 54 
			 ORH Ltd. — 0 0 61 61 
			  
			 Total 94 353 444 327 1,218 
		
	
	Costs have also arisen from time spent by DTLR and Home Office officials on aspects of the review, but it is not possible to accurately determine this amount without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The cost of staff employed by fire brigades in connection with the pathfinder trials associated with the fire cover review can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fire Services

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whom he plans to consult before concluding the fire cover review; and over what time frame.

Alan Whitehead: The findings of the task group on the fire cover review will be considered initially by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council. Following this, I expect to consult widely since I expect the review to provide the fundamental basis of planning delivery of service by fire brigades in the future.

Fire Services

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the task group on the fire cover review will deliver its final report to the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council.

Alan Whitehead: The aim at present is to present the report for consideration by the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council immediately after the summer recess at the latest.

Driving Tests

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to make driving tests more difficult and increase the safety aspects of the test.

David Jamieson: holding answer 13 May 2002
	Our "Road Safety Strategy" commits us to keep the driving test up to date. Since 1999, we have added 10 minutes more general driving to the practical car driving test so candidates can be assessed driving on higher-speed dual carriageways and rural roads wherever possible. Also, candidates who commit more than 15 less serious driving faults, as well as those who commit serious faults, fail the driving test.
	Later this year we plan to introduce a moving-image hazard perception element to the theory test. This should mean that new drivers develop better skills in anticipation and reading the road.
	We have also recently published our "Introducing a more structured approach to learning to drive" consultation paper. Although this does not discuss possible changes to the content of the driving test it does, however, include discussion about extending the learning period, the use of training logs and the introduction of probationary plates for new drivers.

Health Workers (Parking Restrictions)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to ease parking restrictions which affect essential health workers in the performance of their emergency duties; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Parking dispensations and waivers are a matter for consideration by local traffic authorities as part of their overall parking policies. In London, a Health Emergency Badge (HEB) already exists for doctors and others involved in primary healthcare (such as nurses, midwives and health visitors). It can be used when the HEB holder is undertaking emergency or urgent work with patients away from the badge holder's normal base allowing them to park without payment in paid for parking places, in residents' bays and, if no alternative parking spaces are available, on yellow lines.
	The HEB scheme does not allow holders to park their vehicles in a dangerous or obstructive manner. Further details about the HEB scheme may be obtained from the Association of London Government Transport and Environment Committee, First Floor, New Zealand House, 80 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TZ.

Ferry Services

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 18 April 2002, Official Report, column 1096W, on ferry services, what the nature is of the representation he has made regarding the proposed EU directive on minimum conditions of service and wages for seafarer on intra-community ferry services.

David Jamieson: We have made representations in European Community discussions generally recommending the proposed directive to fellow member states.

Network Rail

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the financial risk to the Strategic Rail Authority of a future financial and management failure by Network Rail.

David Jamieson: Negotiations are continuing on a commercially confidential basis. Details of any contingent liability would be notified formally to Parliament in accordance with established procedures.

Road Works (Injuries)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many individuals working on street or road works were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: Following is the readily available information relating to the number of injuries to workers hit by vehicles occurring in the processes of road repairs and surfacing, and in street cleaning and verge maintenance.
	
		Injuries to workers hit by vehicles occurring in the processes of road repairs and surfacing, and in street cleaning and verge maintenance—1996–97 to 2000–01
		
			  Road repairs/surfacing/ maintenance Road verge maintenance 
		
		
			 Fatal injuries   
			 1996–97 3 — 
			 1997–98 2 — 
			 1998–99 2 — 
			 1999–2000 2 — 
			 2000–01(1) 5 1 
			
			 Major injuries   
			 1996–97 14 1 
			 1997–98 10 2 
			 1998–99 12 — 
			 1999–2000 14 1 
			 2000–01(1) 10 — 
			
			 Over 3-day injuries   
			 1996–97 23 — 
			 1997–98 20 3 
			 1998–99 19 1 
			 1999–2000 23 2 
			 2000–01(1) 19 2 
		
	
	(1) Provisional
	HSE is temporarily only able to provide statistics on workers hit by vehicles because of essential enhancements currently being carried out to their database system but could provide data on all incidents covered in the processes in the table in due course. The table also only provides data from 1996–97 onwards. Access to earlier data is available only at disproportionate cost.
	Notes:
	Figures relate to employees and the self-employed.
	Injuries reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.
	Statistics relate to the planning year from 1 April to 31 March.

Public Transport (Recruitment and Retention)

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact of rates of pay on recruitment and retention of public transport workers and the delivery of the Government's transport objectives in London.

David Jamieson: Recruitment and retention of public transport workers and their pay rates are the responsibility of the relevant transport operators. It is for them to manage their services to deliver the various performance targets set by the transport authorities within the context of the Government's policies. Measures to improve performance are taken as necessary.

Road Safety

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what statistics are collected by his Department on road safety; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Personal injury road accident data in Great Britain are collected by the police and reported to the Department using the STATS19 accident report format. A full description of the data collected and an extensive selection of statistics are published in detail in "Road Accidents Great Britain—The Casualty Report". The report for 2000 was published on 20 September 2001 and a copy placed in the Libraries of the House.

Free Travel

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which local authorities provide free travel on public transport for old age pensioners and the disabled.

Sally Keeble: There are six areas where free travel is provided for pensioners: London boroughs, Merseyside, West Midlands, Crawley, Reading and Redditch.
	There are eight areas where free travel is provided for disabled people: London boroughs, Merseyside, Congleton, Crawley, Reading Redditch, Rutland and Warwick. In addition, there are a further 89 areas where free travel is provided for blind people.

Free Travel

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the level of access of pensioners to free bus transport.

Sally Keeble: From June 2001 the Transport Act 2000 provides a standard minimum requirement for concessionary travel in England and Wales. This ensures half fares for pensioners and disabled people on local buses, with no charge for the pass. Local authorities may make more generous provision at their discretion.
	Following the introduction of the standard minimum requirement a survey taken last autumn shows that over half of authorities had a more generous scheme than previously and 17 authorities had introduced a concessionary fares scheme when none previously existed. Six areas provide free travel for pensioners.

Road Improvements

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what extra funding will be made available to county councils for road improvement in the next financial year.

David Jamieson: The Government are providing over £30 billion for local road maintenance over the next 10 years, an extra 9 billion (23 per cent. in real terms) above the funding levels in the previous 10 years. The exact figures for 2003–04 will be announced in December this year.

Parking

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what restrictions are in place in respect of the spending of moneys by local authorities in respect of revenue raised by them from parking meters and paid parking schemes; what the basis is for such restrictions; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: Section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 requires local authorities to keep an account of income and expenditure in respect of designated on-street parking places. This section restricts expenditure of surplus on-street parking income to making good any charges against an authority's general fund, provision and maintenance of off-street parking, highway improvements and public transport schemes. There are no restrictions on the use of surplus income from authorities' off-street parking facilities.

Parking

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers he has to prevent local authorities in England and Wales from issuing a greater number of residents parking permits than the number of residents parking places that have been made available by such local authority.

John Spellar: Local traffic authorities have powers to introduce traffic management schemes on their roads, including residents' parking schemes, by means of traffic regulation orders (TRO) made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Secretary of State has a reserve power under the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the 1984 Act to intervene in the making of a TRO in a case where he believes that an authority is not satisfactorily discharging its duty under section 122 of the Act to secure the expeditious, convenient and save movement of vehicular and other traffic and the provision of suitable and adequate parking facilities on and off the highway.
	The purpose of a residents' parking scheme is to ensure residents have preferential access to on-street parking in their area over others, such as those commuting into the area. Given the limited supply of kerbside parking space and possible multiple care ownership in individual households, an authority has to judge the balance between supply of spaces and the number of permits issued in drawing up a scheme. In practice a residents' parking scheme may not necessarily guarantee permit holders access to a parking space, but could be better than having an uncontrolled parking free for all.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the rate of return will be on each of the three PPP contracts.

David Jamieson: The payments the private sector infrastructure companies receive from London Underground will depend on the performance they actually deliver. There is no guaranteed rate of return for shareholders under the three Public Private Partnership contracts.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his reply of 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 900W, on London Underground, if the appropriate regulatory clearances relating to (a) the procurement process, (b) the competition aspects and (c) the state aid aspects have been obtained; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: All appropriate regulatory clearances will be obtained before any PPP contracts take effect.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the projected efficiency savings are in each of the first seven years of the PPP contracts for each of the consortia.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the final assessment report produced by London Underground. This report, which is available on London Underground's website, contains an assessment of the underlying costs of the bids for the tube modernisation contracts compared to the underlying costs of the relevant public sector comparators over the first seven and a half years of the contracts. A year-on-year analysis is not available.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assumptions were made during PPP negotiations about the level of fare increases on London Underground in each of the first seven years.

David Jamieson: London Underground fares are a matter for the Mayor. London Transport has for planning purposes assumed that fares would rise in line with inflation.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much London Transport has spent on consultancy costs for the London Underground PPP.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Borrow) on 4 December 2001, Official Report, column 296W.
	Since 30 September 2001 a further 9 million has been spent.

Community Transport (Fuel Duty Rebate)

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when regulations will be made implementing the Government's commitment to extend eligibility for fuel duty rebate to a wide range of community transport services.

Sally Keeble: I am pleased to confirm that the Bus Service Operators Grant (England) Regulations 2002, implementing this proposal, were laid before Parliament on 10 April and came into force on 1 May 2002.

PPP Contracts

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what payment each of the three consortia will receive in each year of the first seven years of the PPP contracts.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the proposed comfort letter that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State reported to Parliament on Wednesday 20 March 2002. The actual level of payments received by the consortia will depend on the level of performance they deliver.

Gap Funding

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received about his most recent proposals to replace gap funding.

Sally Keeble: We have received representations from three organisations; the St. John's Urban Village, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Council for the Protection of Rural England, in respect of the proposals for the housing, dereliction and heritage aid schemes. We are working closely with the regional development agencies, English Partnerships and English Heritage on the development of these schemes. We are also with the regional development agencies, English Partnerships and others on further possible schemes to notify to the European Commission.

Martin Sixsmith

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the statement made by his Department on 7 May regarding the resignation of Mr. Martin Sixsmith.

Stephen Byers: The statement agreed by my Department and Martin Sixsmith was placed in the Library on 7 May.

Martin Sixsmith

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 906W, on resignations, if he will revise his response in relation to the resignation of Mr. Martin Sixsmith.

Stephen Byers: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made to the House on 9 May 2002.

Ministerial Speeches

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the speeches which (a) he and (b) other Ministers from his Department have made to external organisations and businesses since 7 June 2001, in each case providing details of where the speech is publicly available; if he will place copies of speeches not available in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: DTLR Ministers have undertaken a very wide range of speaking engagements since 7 June 2001. A record of all speeches is not held centrally and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. Key ministerial speeches are available on the DTLR website address: http://www.dtlr.gov.uk/about/ministers/speeches/ index.htm. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Technical Support Contracts

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what technical support contracts were awarded by the Health and Safety Executive between 1 January and 31 December 1997.

Alan Whitehead: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Religious Affiliations (Staff)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will collect statistics on the religious affiliation of staff employed in local government with special reference to Muslim women in the work force; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: My Department has no plans to do so. Some local authorities already collect and monitor statistics relating to diversity and equal opportunity issues. However, this does not currently include religious affiliation of staff. In 2003 legislation against discrimination of grounds of religion or belief will come into force in order to comply with our responsibilities under the employment directive. All employers, including local authorities, will need to consider how best to meet their responsibilities under this legislation. The best employers will recognise the advantages of a fully diverse work force.

Ministerial Accommodation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what publicly owned accommodation is made available to him in his official role; how many nights he has been in residence at each of these properties in the last 12 months; and what the total cost is of maintaining each of these properties.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 9 May 2002
	No publicly owned accommodation is made available to the Secretary of State in his official role.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

MOX (Sellafield)

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell), of 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 748W, on British Nuclear Fuels, if she will place in the Library a copy of BNFL's safety case for the receipt, handling and storage of the faulty mox on the Sellafield site.

Brian Wilson: No. Safety cases submitted to meet HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate's specific regulatory requirements are "relevant information" under s28 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and may not be made public when the licensee withholds consent.

Energy Policy

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have for consulting on energy policy; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: I am pleased to announce today that the Government has launched a major consultation on energy policy. I have placed copies of the consultation document in the Libraries of the House.
	We want to know how people think energy policy should develop.
	I am determined to make the consultation process as open and inclusive as possible. It will run from now till the end of the summer, leading to a White Paper around the turn of the year. This will include a response to the Performance and Innovation Unit's Energy Review and to its emphasis on a low-carbon economy and greater energy efficiency.

Employment Law

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received regarding a change in the law concerning probation periods; and what plans she has to review this part of employment law.

Alan Johnson: None. We have no plans.

Employment Law

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research she has commissioned into the rights of employees working probationary periods prior to full-time contracts; and if she will publish the results of such research.

Alan Johnson: None.

Work Fatalities

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to reduce the number of work-related illnesses and accidents that result in death.

Alan Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
	The primary responsibility for avoiding fatalities arising from work-related accidents and ill health rests with employers and workers. The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive have statutory responsibilities to promote health and safety and, with local authorities to enforce the law.
	In 1999 the Government and the HSC recognised that improvement in health and safety including reducing the number of fatalities had reached a plateau and for that reason launched a review of health and safety. This resulted in the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy and the first ever 10 year national health and safety targets.
	HSC's Strategic Plan sets out how HSC will focus its effort to deliver the Revitalising Targets. This includes priority programmes focusing on areas of major concern in relation to fatalities, as well as accidents and ill health.
	HSC will be reporting regularly on this long-term plan. The next report will be in the autumn.

Advisory Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and other extractive industries is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
	The Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and Other Extractive Industries (SCHMOEI) is a committee comprising representatives from the governments of the member states of the European Union which meets immediately prior to the full meetings of the main committee. Its role is to prepare the meetings of the main committee which is a tripartite body.
	SCHMOEI's terms of reference include:
	following the developments regarding health and safety in coalmines and other extractive industries especially in matters of accident prevention;
	advising on the issues involved in compiling comparable accident statistics;
	facilitating the exchange of information and experience among persons responsible for health and safety matters;
	proposing appropriate measures for ensuring the necessary liaison among the rescue services of the Community countries.
	The UK members of the restricted committee are the Health and Safety Executive's Chief Inspector of Mines and the Head of Division with responsibility for safety policy for mining and other extractive industries.
	The committee meets twice a year. The secretariat is provided by the European Commission, which provides interpreting services etc. The European Commission also pays the travel expenses of the representatives. The costs to UK public funds are therefore the accommodation costs for the staff attending meetings (less than £1000 per year) and their salary costs.
	SCHMOEI publishes an annual report. As a tripartite body its meetings are open to representatives of employers and employees.
	The European Commission has published proposals to merge SCHMOEI with the main Advisory Committee on Safety and Health.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much in (a) overseas aid and (b) debt relief assistance has been spent per year on Bangladesh by the Government since 1997.

Clare Short: The Bilateral Development Assistance and Debt Relief for Bangladesh since 1997 was:
	
		£000 
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Bilateral development assistance 39,078 67,361 71,794 76,920 
			 Of which was debt relief 559 443 292 0 
		
	
	In addition the UK contributes development assistance via multilateral organisations. The estimated contribution for Bangladesh is as follows:
	
		
			 Year £ million 
		
		
			 1997 14.6 
			 1998 41.8 
			 1999 6.0 
			 2000 37.7

Bangladesh

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the Commonwealth debt initiative aided (a) Bangladesh and (b) other moderately- indebted countries; and what future plans the Government have to extend debt relief to Bangladesh.

Clare Short: The Commonwealth debt initiative does not apply to Bangladesh. The initiative was launched in 1997 to cancel aid debts of poorer Commonwealth countries who are committed to international development targets. Bangladesh had already had its UK aid debts written off under retrospective terms adjustment prior to that date.
	Aid debt worth about £50 million has been written off under the Commonwealth debt initiative for middle- income countries largely in the Caribbean.
	There are no plans to extend debt relief to Bangladesh since Bangladesh's current external debt burden is sustainable. But Bangladesh received £773.88 million in aid, of which £68.28 million came from the UK in 2000 (the latest year for which figures are available).

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many days of sick leave were taken in her Department last year; how many related to employees suffering (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to her Department.

Clare Short: 8,399 days were taken in the year 2000, the last year for which published figures are available.
	Information on sick leave is not held by these precise categories but can be provided in terms of staff suffering from stress related illnesses generally. The number of days lost in 2000 in this category was 1,277.
	Information on costs is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Primary Education

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her budget is allocated for the provision of primary education in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Mr. Thomas) on 7 February 2002, Official Report, column 1067W.

Disclosure of Interests

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what rules apply to the disclosure of interests on the part of those serving on public bodies which are responsible to her Department.

Clare Short: The holders of public appointments which are the responsibility of my Department have been advised of the requirements contained in the Cabinet Office Model Code of Practice for Board Members of Advisory Non-departmental Public Bodies which require declaration of any such interests and withdrawal from any discussion of matters in which they have an interest.

Humanitarian Assistance (Middle East)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what meetings have taken place since 1 April between members of the British diplomatic staff in Israel and Israeli officials, with regard to securing the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories occupied by the Israeli Defence Force; what the outcome of these meetings was; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what meetings have taken place since 1 April between her Department and (a) Israeli officials and (b) members of the Israeli diplomatic staff in the UK with regard to securing the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories occupied by the Israeli Defence Force; what the outcome of these meetings was; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: In parallel with representations by Ministers and those made to Israeli officials by British diplomats in the UK, the British ambassador has on the instructions of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about the safe delivery of humanitarian medical aid to those in need. The Israeli response has not been satisfactory. It is still not certain that the humanitarian agencies have unrestricted access to the affected areas. Israeli forces have obligations under international humanitarian law to allow these agencies to do their work in the Occupied Territories.

Timber

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures were taken to ensure the use of sustainable timber in procuring timber for the refurbishment of 1 Palace street; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The contractual documentation required all such procurement to be carried out in accordance with standards set by the Building Research Environmental Evaluation Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) in relation to materials and the environmental implications of materials selection.
	The background to this is that a small section of our new headquarters is grade 2 listed, and was built in 1861. It contains sections of mahogany doors and panelling. Under planning regulations we were required, when refurbishing the building, to match the appearance of the existing finishes. In order to do so the contractor obtained a quantity of Sapele wood veneer from F. R. Shadbolt and Sons, for use in this area of the building. Shadbolts are founder members of the WWF 1995+ group, a timber and timber buyers group set up by WWF for the purpose of improving forest management. The Sapele veneer supplied by Shadbolts came from existing stocks, bought in 1983, and which, with the consent of WWF, they are allowed to continue to supply.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the non-governmental organisations consulted in drawing up the Second UK Periodic report under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

John Denham: Although non-governmental organisations were involved in drawing up the Second UK Periodic report, it has not been possible to locate records of the full list of those consulted following the transfer of responsibility for this between Departments.

Teachers' Pensions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the teachers' pension index is linked; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Teachers' Pensions, in common with all other public service pensions, are increased in line with the Retail Prices Index. The increase for the current financial year, as specified in the 2002 Pensions (Increase) Review Order, is 1.7 per cent.

Services for the Deaf

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers are able to teach deaf children; and how many are able to teach using sign language.

Stephen Timms: My Department does not hold these statistics centrally. However we understand, from an exercise undertaken by the British Association of Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD) in January 2000, that, at that time, there were approximately 1,800 qualified teachers of the deaf in England and approximately 200 in training.

Services for the Deaf

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to ensure that deaf students are able to continue their education to the level of their choice.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to go as far as their talents and efforts will take them. The Learning and Skills Act 2000 sets out the statutory provision for the assessment of young people with learning difficulties and disabilities and the Connexions Partnerships will deliver that requirement. From April 2002, where a Connexions Partnership is not operational, the local careers service is required to draw up action plans for all statemented young people who are in their final year of compulsory schooling and who intend to leave school for further education or training. From the academic year starting September 2002, Connexions Partnerships, where operational, will be expected to conduct assessments for all young people with learning difficulties and disabilities (whether or not they have statements) who are in their last year of compulsory schooling, who are over compulsory school age but under 25, or if they are receiving or are likely to receive post-16 education or training or higher education.
	Under the Learning and Skills Act 2000, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has a specific responsibility to help young people and adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD). For those learners who wish to pursue a programme of further education, the LSC provides funding to enable colleges to provide the learning support necessary to ensure individual learners have access to their chosen programme of study, for example, to provide a signer to support a deaf/hearing impaired learner. Where learning needs are more complex or specialised, the LSC will work with Connexions and other agencies to secure appropriate boarding accommodation as part of a much broader learning package. Although most young people with learning difficulties should find their educational needs can be met locally, some will need to be placed in specialist colleges away from their home area. Connexions Partnerships can make flexible arrangements in the best interests of young people so that someone at a specialist college may be supported by a personal adviser from either their home or host area. We will ensure that Connexions and the LSC work together with learning providers, social services departments, health authorities and other support agencies, to ensure that young people with profound and complex learning difficulties have access to an appropriate mix of personal care and learning provision.
	The Government have also demonstrated their commitment by introducing Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Act 2001. From September 2002, it will be unlawful for bodies responsible for the provision of further education, higher education, adult and community learning and youth services to discriminate against disabled students or other disabled people by treating them less favourably than others. The Act covers everything from physical disability, hearing and visual impairment, to mental health problems and dyslexia. The Government have made £172 million available over 2002–04 to support the implementation of the Act; this will enable responsible bodies to raise awareness of and make any adjustments necessary to meet the needs of disabled people. Additional funding, guidance and support will be made available through organisations such as the Disability Rights Commission, the LSC and the Higher Education and Funding Council for England.
	Financial support is also available for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to complete their studies via their school, Connexions/careers service, college or university.

Private Finance Initiative

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what PFI school building schemes have been approved by her Department; and, in each case, what (a) the date of approval, (b) the names of the schools covered by the scheme, (c) the actual or planned opening date of each school, (d) the capital cost of each school and (e) the capital cost per pupil place in each school were.

John Healey: 47 projects have now reached financial and/or commercial close, and a further 24 projects are in procurement, having been approved by the Treasury- chaired Project Review Group (PRG). Details of these projects can be found on the Department's website at www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolsprivatefinanceinitiative. In addition there are a further 30 schemes which are currently preparing Outline Business Cases for consideration by PRG.
	It would incur disproportionate cost to provide the further information.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when a replacement scheme for individual learning accounts will be launched.

John Healey: There will be a replacement ILA-type scheme building on the strengths of the ILA and taking in to account findings from the recently published stakeholder consultation and Select Committee reports. We will announce our plans in due course.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the new individual learning account scheme will allow individuals to top-up the Government's financial contribution to their education and training.

John Healey: We are currently considering a wide range of recommendations from a number of different sources for a new ILA- style scheme. The issue of the individual's own contribution to the costs of learning is among those being considered in the work under way to develop a successor programme.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is her policy that small learning providers should continue to supply training under the new individual learning account scheme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: We are currently considering a wide range of recommendations for a new ILA-style scheme from a number of different sources, including the Education and Skills Select Committee report and the findings from our stakeholder consultation exercise. Among those consulted were small learning providers participating in the ILA scheme and the Federation of Small Businesses. We will announce our plans for a successor scheme, including delivery arrangements, in due course.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if it is her policy that Capita should be the provider of the support infrastructure for the new individual learning account scheme.

John Healey: We are now moving closer to settling the design for a successor programme which will incorporate the lessons which we have learned following the closure of ILAs last November. We continue to work closely with Capita to wind down the current scheme and to ensure we learn the lessons for its successor scheme. We will announce our plans for a successor scheme, including delivery arrangements, in due course.

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by her Department since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: A comprehensive list of new and abolished offences could only be provided at disproportionate cost. We can however provide the following information about the following education measures of the Department for Education and Employment enacted since January 1997 and before June 2001. No criminal offences have been created or abolished by the Department for Education and Skills since June 2001.
	The Education Act 1997 created the offence of obstructing the Chief Inspector of Schools for England in the performance of his duties and a similar offence in relation to the Chief Inspector for Wales.
	The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 created two offences: obstructing a member of the Inspectorate or a registered nursery education inspector in the exercise of his duties and a similar offence in the Nursery Education and Grant-Maintained Schools Act 1996 which was repealed when the 1998 Act offence came into force.
	The Learning and Skills Act 2000 created six offences, all concerned with the obstruction of persons carrying out school inspections in England or in Wales.
	The SEN and Disability Act 2001 inserted section 28J into the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, creating an offence of failing to comply with a requirement to disclose documents.
	Three offences not contained in education legislation but relating to teachers are section 3 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 (having sex with a person under 18 where in a position of trust) and section 35 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (a person disqualified from working with children applying to work in a regulated position, including teaching, and knowingly to offer such a person such work).
	The total number of offences created and listed above is 14.

Learning and Skills Council

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) of 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 448, on the Learning and Skills Council, what the cost is of bringing funding for the education of 16 to 19 years olds in further education colleges in line with that of school sixth forms.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 9 May 2002
	Given the different ways in which schools and colleges are funded and the very much broader remit of colleges, comparisons on the funding of the education of 16 to 19 year olds are far from straight forward. My Department is currently considering the best basis for making sound comparisons. The Government remains firmly committed to bring up the level of funding of colleges towards that of school sixth forms. However, as we have repeatedly made clear, this will take time and must be done as resources allow.

Ministerial Accommodation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what publicly owned accommodation is made available to her in her official role; how many nights she has been in residence at each of these properties in the last 12 months; and what the total cost was of maintaining each of these properties in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 9 May 2002
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills does not have publicly owned accommodation available in her official role.

Business Development Unit

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 2 May 2002, Official Report, column 906W, on the Business Development Unit, what proportion of the £7.3 million sponsorship was (a) in cash and (b) in kind; and if she will list examples of the latter.

Stephen Timms: The £7.3 million sponsorship referred to in my answer on 2 May is divided into £2.7 million cash, and £4.6 million in-kind support. Examples of in-kind support include the provision of free or subsidised computers; presentational equipment and other resources for teaching such as books and CD-ROMs; training for teachers; ICT support; and employer and employee time.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to introduce education maintenance allowances nationwide.

Ivan Lewis: We will be taking decisions on any future extension of the scheme on the basis of the rigorous evaluation currently being conducted.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in Luton have benefited from the educational maintenance allowance pilot scheme since its introduction.

Ivan Lewis: The education maintenance allowance became available in Luton in September 2000. During the academic year 2000–01, 886 students benefited from EMAs. In the current academic year 1,588 students have received weekly payments so far. Some of these students receiving EMA in this academic year will now be benefiting from a second year of support.

Sector Skills Council (Tourism Industry)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is on the creation of a sector skills council to service the tourism industry.

John Healey: Five Trailblazer Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) were announced in December 2001. The expression of interest from the tourism and hospitality industry was not selected in this instance. However, non-selection as a trailblazer does not preclude a sector from submitting an expression of interest to form a SSC.
	A business adviser has been working with the tourism and hospitality sector. A readiness assessment has been carried out to determine what further work needs to be done before proposals from the sector can be considered by the Sector Skills Development Agency. The sector will be advised of the outcome shortly.

Key Stage 1

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many classes at Key Stage 1 have more than 30 children in them; how many Key Stage 1 children are in classes of over 30; and when all Key Stage 1 children will be taught in classes of under 30 children.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 placed a duty on local education authorities and schools to ensure that infant classes for five, six and seven-year-olds taught by one teacher were limited to no more than 30 pupils by September 2001 at the latest. The legislation does allow the limit of 30 to be exceeded in certain circumstances. Such circumstances include, for example, the admission of an infant outside of the normal admission round, and for whom there is no other suitable school nearby, or on the direction of an admission appeal panel.
	The January 2002 annual schools census found that out of a total of 61,527 infant classes, 329 (0.5 per cent.) classes containing 10,398 children, were reported as containing 31 or more pupils on the day of the count. Of these classes 249 contained 31 or more pupils because of reasons permitted by the legislation. Over 99 per cent. of all infants are now in classes of 30 or fewer.

Cleeve School, Cheltenham

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the reasons underlying her decision on the bid made by Gloucestershire county council for a PFI for Cleeve School, Bishop's Cleeve, Cheltenham.

John Healey: holding answer 8 May 2002
	The application from Gloucestershire local education authority (LEA) for PFI credits in 2003–04 was not supported as it did not meet the criteria, as set out in the guidance issued to LEAs on 31 July 2001, to the same extent as those applications from other authorities which were supported. An official from the Department met with members and officers from Gloucestershire LEA on 26 April to provide detailed feedback and to explore how the application might be strengthened for future years.

Recruitment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many net additional staff her Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is set out in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Executive Officer level Administrative Officer level  
			 Month/Type of staff Headcount FTE Headcount FTE 
		
		
			 June 2001 
			 Permanent -1 -1 -2 -1 
			 Temporary +1 +1 +7 +6 
			 Total — — +5 +5 
			  
			 July 2001 
			 Permanent +4 +4 +3 +3 
			 Temporary +3 +3 +37 +36 
			 Total +7 +7 +40 +39 
			  
			 August 2001 
			 Permanent -13 -13 -16 -15 
			 Temporary +2 +2 -11 -11 
			 Total -11 -11 -27 -26 
			 September 2001 
			 Permanent +4 +4 +5 +5 
			 Temporary -6 -6 -19 -19 
			 Total -2 -2 -14 -14 
			  
			 October 2001 
			 Permanent +5 +5 -1 -1 
			 Temporary -1 -1 +7 +6 
			 Total +4 +4 +6 +5 
			  
			 November 2001 
			 Permanent +25 24 +7 +6 
			 Temporary -3 -3 -12 -11 
			 Total +22 +21 -5 -5 
			  
			 December 2001 
			 Permanent +4 +5 +7 +7 
			 Temporary +1 +1 -2 -1 
			 Total +5 +6 +5 +6 
			  
			 January 2002 
			 Permanent +13 +13 +18 +18 
			 Temporary +2 +2 +4 +4 
			 Total +15 +15 +22 +22 
			  
			 February 2002 
			 Permanent +5 +5 +3 +3 
			 Temporary +4 +4 -10 -9 
			 Total +9 +9 -7 -6 
			  
			 March 2002 
			 Permanent -2 -2 -2 -2 
			 Temporary +6 +6 -9 -9 
			 Total +4 +4 -11 -11 
		
	
	 = An increase in staffing numbers
	- = A decrease in staffing numbers Note: Full-time equivalent (FTE) numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills) gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe) on 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 446W.

Teachers

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) agency teachers and (b) teachers on contracts of one term or less were employed in schools in England, broken down by local education authority, in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 30 April 2002
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

School Transport

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school buses are in use in England.

John Healey: The information requested is not available centrally.

School Transport

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she has introduced to increase transport for children on the daily school run.

John Healey: Local education authorities provide home to school transport which fulfils statutory requirements set out in the Education Act 1996. They also have discretion to make additional transport provision to meet local needs. There have been no recent changes to these arrangements.

School Transport

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to improve the safety of children on their journeys to and from school.

John Healey: Home to school transport is the responsibility of local education authorities. They must monitor the condition of vehicles used for transporting pupils from home to school and report any safety defects to the Vehicle Inspectorate, which sponsors the annual Operation Coachman inspection of buses and taxis used for the school run.
	This Department, in partnership with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, is taking steps to improve the safety of children whenever they use the roads, on the school journey and at other times, through a combination of engineering, enforcement and education measures. An example is a scheme recently announced by my transport colleagues that is giving children from vulnerable backgrounds practical roadside training.

Departmental Functions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the functions of her Department that have been (a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case.

Ivan Lewis: It will not be possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate cost.

Post-16 Funding

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what recent representations she has received on the transparency of the arrangements for post-16 funding by the Learning and Skills Council; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations she has received from (a) schools, (b) local education authorities and (c) trade unions on the transition of post-16 funding from local education authorities to the Learning and Skills Council; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend has received wide-ranging representations from a number of schools, local education authorities and trade unions.
	The principles of the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) common funding approach are based on extensive consultations since 1999.
	The funding system is designed to be transparent, objective, and flexible enough to cope with different modes of learning. Key elements are: national base rates weighted to reflect the higher costs of some forms of training; rewarding achievement; additional funding recognising disadvantage factors; and an uplift to reflect the higher cost of delivery in London and related areas. The foremost principle is that funding follows the learner.
	The Real Terms Guarantee given to sixth forms means that their funding will be maintained relative to 2000–01 funding levels, provided pupil numbers are maintained. The Learning and Skills Council has calculated two figures for each sixth form—its adjusted RTG and its LSC formula allocation—and the school will receive the higher of the two. The Financing of Maintained School Regulations 2002 have been amended to ensure that sixth forms funded through the LSC formula see some benefit. For 2002–03 schools should gain a minimum of one third of the difference between the RTG and the formula allocation, where that allocation is higher. We intend to amend the regulations further for 2003–04 to ensure that such schools have a minimum two-thirds gain in that year.

Mathematics

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list reports published by the Government between 1972 and 2002 that concern mathematics, including (a) the study and teaching of mathematics of school pupils from starting age to Advanced Level, (b) the shortage of mathematics teachers, (c) the declining levels of students undertaking mathematics courses in further and higher education and (d) the failure to engage the interest of pupils studying mathematics.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A list is available of mathematics publications issued or sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills, its predecessors and non-departmental public bodies, during the period 1972–2002. However, the list is not comprehensive or official. I am placing a copy in the Libraries, together with figures for Higher Education students studying mathematics for the period 1994–95 to 2001–02.

Asylum Seekers

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has made to further education colleges regarding time taken off each month by students waiting for their asylum applications to be processed to report at Gatwick.

Ivan Lewis: None. Asylum processing arrangements are a matter for the Home Office. It is important that students attend Immigration Service reporting centres as required. I would expect further education colleges to plan learning for asylum seeker students as they would any other students and take account of an individual's personal circumstances wherever practicable.

Asylum Seekers

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which chief education officers and other interested organisations were consulted on removing some asylum-seeking children from sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996; and if she will place their responses in the Library.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 9 May 2002
	A consultation exercise was conducted with a very small number of chief education officers to gather views on the removal of some children of asylum seekers from sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996. They were asked to treat this consultation as confidential. In view of the fact that those whose views were sought were approached on a confidential basis we do not consider it appropriate to list those who were consulted.

Sure Start

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she plans to authorise a further round of local Sure Start programmes.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and I have today invited the following districts in England to set up 85 new sure start programmes:
	Ashfield
	Barking and Dagenham
	Barnet
	Barnsley
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Birmingham 1
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Blyth Valley
	Bradford
	Breckland
	Broxtowe
	Burnley
	Camden
	Canterbury
	Charnwood
	Coventry
	Derwentside
	Doncaster
	Dudley
	Greenwich
	Hackney
	Halton
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Haringey
	Hull
	Ipswich
	Islington
	Kirklees
	Knowsley
	Lambeth
	Leeds
	Leicester
	Lewes
	Lewisham
	Lincoln
	Liverpool 1
	Manchester 1
	Mansfield
	Middlesbrough
	Newcastle
	Newham
	North East Lincolnshire
	North Lincolnshire
	North Norfolk
	Norwich
	Nottingham
	Oldham
	Pendle
	Penwith
	Peterborough
	Portsmouth
	Preston
	Rochdale
	Salford
	Sandwell
	Sedgefield
	Selby
	Sheffield
	Shrewsbury and Atcham
	South Kesteven
	South Tyneside
	Southwark
	St. Helens
	Stockton on Tees
	Stoke on Trent
	Sunderland
	Sutton
	Tameside
	Teesdale
	Telford and Wrekin
	Tower Hamlets
	Vale Royal
	Wakefield
	Walsall
	Waltham Forest
	Wandsworth
	Warrington
	Warwick
	Westminster
	Wirral
	Wolverhampton
	Wycombe. 1 Denotes districts which have been invited to develop two programmes in the sixth wave.
	We have placed a copy of the guidance for this sixth wave of programmes in the Libraries.
	These new programmes are an addition to the 437 programmes which are already delivering services to young children and their families in disadvantaged areas or currently developing their plans. This announcement brings the total number of sure start programmes announced so far to 522. They will become operational from summer 2003 when we will be well on schedule to meeting the public service agreement target of 500 programmes operating by 2004, reaching one third of all poor children aged under four and their families in England. This will be a significant contribution to the Government's aim of eradicating child poverty by 2020.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EU Enlargement

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met Foreign Ministers of EU applicant countries to discuss enlargement issues.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I regularly meet our opposite numbers from the candidate countries. I visited Cyprus last month, and the Foreign Secretary plans to visit Bucharest, Budapest, Prague and Bratislava later this month.

EU Enlargement

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in negotiations with EU applicant countries.

Peter Hain: The Laeken European Council confirmed the EU's determination to complete negotiations with those countries that are ready at the end of this year, so that they can participate in the next European Parliament elections in 2004. The negotiations are on course to meet this timetable.
	Currently 11 of the 12 countries in negotiations have opened 30 chapters. Cyprus has closed 27 chapters, Slovenia and Lithuania have both closed 26, the Czech Republic has closed 25, Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia and Latvia have closed 24, Poland has closed 23, Malta has closed 21, and Bulgaria has closed 17. Romania has opened 24 chapters and closed 11.

EU Enlargement

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to help United Kingdom business prepare for EU enlargement.

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Rosemary McKenna), at columns 635–36.

Cyprus

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the recent ministerial visit to Cyprus; and if he will make a statement on progress on negotiations between the Greek and Turkish communities on the island.

Peter Hain: I visited Cyprus on 10 and 11 April and met, among others, President Clerides and Mr. Denktash. I remain hopeful that a settlement can be found that will enable a reunited island to join the EU.

Cyprus

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the state is of the peace talks in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: Face-to-face talks with UN involvement for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement are at an important stage. The UK and the international community hope to see a reunited Cyprus accede to the EU. We are working hard to help all involved to move negotiations forward and co-operating fully with the UN Secretary- General's special adviser, Alvaro de Soto.
	As the UN Security Council stated on 2 May, the time has now come to set down on paper areas of common ground between the two sides, with the aim of establishing the component parts of a comprehensive settlement which takes full consideration of relevant UN resolutions and treaties; and, where differences remain, to narrow and remove those through a process of negotiation focused on compromise formulations.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has welcomed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's visit to Cyprus, from 14 to 16 May. He said:
	"it is a timely contribution to the process launched by the two leaders in Cyprus. The Cyprus problem has gone on too long. It is time we saw decisive steps towards a settlement."

Cyprus

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact the peace talks in Cyprus will have on Cyprus' accession to the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The UK and the international community want to see a reunited Cyprus accede to the European Union. We are working hard to help all involved to move negotiations forward and co-operating fully with the UN Secretary-General's special adviser, Alvaro de Soto.
	The UK supports agreement of the Helsinki European Council in 1999 that, taking into account all relevant factors, a political settlement on Cyprus would facilitate, but is not a precondition of, Cyprus' accession to the EU. Cyprus continues to make good progress in the accession negotiations and is expected to complete them at the Copenhagen European Council in December.

Greece (British Plane Spotters)

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has recently met the representatives of the British citizens recently convicted of security offences in Greece; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have not met any representatives of the recently convicted British nationals in question. However, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary intends to meet a group on 23 May at the Foreign Office. My noble Friend the Baroness Amos who has responsibility for consular matters met the group on 22 January.

Colombia

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he is giving to efforts to renew the peace process in Colombia.

Denis MacShane: We continue to play an active role in efforts to renew the peace process in Colombia. We condemn the violence, kidnapping and involvement in the drugs trade by all illegal groups in Colombia. We remain in close touch on this with our EU partners, the US Administration and the United Nations, together with the Colombian Government.

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has held with British-based corporations who are involved in mineral exploration in Colombia covering the rights of local people; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 13 May 2002
	The FCO, in partnership with several leading international oil and mining companies, human rights NGOs and Corporate Social Responsibility organisations has developed a set of "Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights in the Extractive Industries". Launched in December 2000, they provide guidance on how companies can best fulfil their human rights objectives in security provision in conflict- prone regions. The participating companies, in dialogue with NGOs convened by Governments, have been working to implement the Principles of the ground. The Governments have organised in-country meetings in several countries, including Colombia, to promote local implementation of the Principles by oil and mining companies.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about progress being made to maintain democracy and peace in sub-Saharan Africa.

Denis MacShane: The FCO is working to bring peace and security to Sierra Leone, helping to end to the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and to resolve the conflicts in the Great Lakes Region, Sudan and Angola, as well as co-ordinating international pressure on the Mugabe regime to respect democracy.
	The United Kingdom also supports to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), aimed at improving political and economic governance in Africa.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Zimbabwe.

Denis MacShane: What has happened in Zimbabwe is a tragedy, imposed by Robert Mugabe. The only way back is through respect for the rule of law, and a return to democratic principles and sensible economic policies.
	Our policy towards Zimbabwe, in the aftermath of the election, is to work with Zimbabwe's friends in Africa and internationally to promote democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Zimbabwe

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had discussions with the Zimbabwean authorities about the security of British passport holders living in Zimbabwe.

Ben Bradshaw: The security situation of British Passport holders in Zimbabwe is directly related to the general deterioration of law and order in that country and which affects all Zimbabweans. The Secretary of State has not discussed the matter with the Zimbabwean authorities. However our High Commission has made representations on behalf of British nationals and continues to provide all consular assistance it properly can to individual British Citizens when requested.

Zimbabwe

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards Zimbabwe.

Denis MacShane: Our policy towards Zimbabwe, in the aftermath of the presidential election, is to work with Zimbabwe's friends in Africa and internationally to promote democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Zimbabwe

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to visit Zimbabwe to discuss bilateral relations.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans to visit Zimbabwe.

Terrorism

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his initiatives aimed at countering international terrorism in the less-developed world.

Ben Bradshaw: We are working with a diverse range of countries that are willing to tackle terrorism. Our approach combines political, security and development initiatives.

Chemical Weapons

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the reasons for the dismissal of Mr. J. Bustani, Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Ben Bradshaw: A significant number of countries on the Organisation's Executive Council had lost confidence in Mr. Bustani. At a special conference called specifically to decide on the matter, a substantial majority voted to terminate his appointment.

Caspian Sea

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in the region of the Caspian sea.

Ben Bradshaw: The Caspian basin countries face numerous challenges in pursuing political reform and in developing regional co-operation. The UK is working for security, stability and prosperity in the region.

Guyana

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Guyana.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Guyana last month. He met President Jagdeo and the Leader of the Opposition, Desmond Hoyte. I am pleased to say our relations with Guyana are excellent.

Future of Europe Convention

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's aims are for the conclusions of the convention on the future of Europe.

Peter Hain: Our objective is an EU which is better understood, more democratic and which delivers the benefits our citizens expect.

Future of Europe Convention

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made by the European Union convention on the future of Europe.

Peter Hain: The future of Europe convention is still in its early days, but has made steady progress since the inaugural meeting on 28 February. The current "listening" phase, due to last until end-Summer, will be followed by an "analytical" phase.

Future of Europe Convention

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those (a) social partners, (b) professional associations, (c) consumer associations, (d) academic and student/youth associations, (e) Church representatives and (f) other foundations and associations of European interest, engaged in the Civic Forum for the Convention on the Future of Europe on behalf of the United Kingdom; what criteria were used for their selection; who selected them; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: There is no selection procedure for taking part in the civic forum—any organisation can contribute. Full details of how to participate and those organisations already doing so are on the forum's website http:// europa.eu.int/futurum/.

Future of Europe Convention

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the submission of Mr. John Bruton to the Convention on the Future of Europe, with respect to improvements to parliamentary scrutiny.

Peter Hain: Mr. Bruton's paper is an interesting and wide-ranging contribution to the future of Europe debate.
	The Government believe that, with the new scrutiny arrangements introduced to Parliament on 17 November 1998, UK scrutiny arrangements compare favourably with arrangements in many other EU member states. The Government are committed to effective scrutiny and welcome suggestions for further improvement.

New Delhi Declaration

Frank Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the Delhi Declaration.

Ben Bradshaw: The New Delhi Declaration, signed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Indian Prime Minister on 6 January 2002, represents a new high-water mark in the strong and vibrant relationship between the UK and India. It identifies many areas of common interest and sets out a road map for future co-operation, both bilaterally and on the world stage. The Declaration is already having an impact.
	Elements of it were discussed by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and myself in our meetings with our Indian counterparts in the last three months.

Channel Tunnel Freight Services

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart about the importance of keeping the channel tunnel open to freight services.

Peter Hain: We have been meeting intensively with the French at ministerial and senior official level in recent months with the aim of resolving these issues and are continuing these discussions with the new French Government. I spoke to the French Ambassador on 8 May to reinforce our concerns.

Gujarat

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent disturbances in the Indian state of Gujarat.

Ben Bradshaw: We remain very concerned by the communal violence in Gujarat, and especially by recent reports that the scale of the violence was much worse than originally thought. We have been in close and regular contact on this issue with the Government of India, who have strongly condemned the violence in Gujarat, and have given assurances, which we welcome, that they will take action to bring to justice the perpetrators of the attacks.

Gujarat

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on assistance provided to UK citizens affected by the Gujarat riots.

Ben Bradshaw: We remained in close contact with the Indian authorities, who were responsible for the safety of British nationals, during the riots.
	We immediately impressed upon the Indian authorities the need to protect British nationals, both in the cities and outlying areas. A number of requests made for assistance by British nationals were answered by the authorities, who offered escorts for those stranded.
	A 24 hour emergency number was made available at our deputy high commission in Mumbai offering advice and assistance.
	Our travel advice was also amended to report on the crisis as it developed.
	The deputy high commission maintained and added to their list of all British nationals who had registered with them. This was added to by names supplied from communities in the UK. Our staff in Mumbai did all they could to assist those in difficulty, and to seek information on those reported as missing.

Euro

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Sweden regarding entry into the euro.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with Sweden regarding entry to the euro.

Sudan

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Sudan.

Denis MacShane: We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Sudan but believe that 2002 offers a real window of opportunity for peace and that the UK has a major role to play in ensuring that this opportunity is seized. There has been some recent progress, for example in the Nuba mountains where a ceasefire appears to be holding.

India

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's trade relationship with India.

Denis MacShane: The UK's trade relationship with India is a high priority for this Government. It is highlighted by a key element of the New Delhi Declaration, which was signed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Indian Prime Minister during his visit to India in January.
	An important part of this relationship is the Indo British Partnership (IBP), which was created in 1993. Since it's inception, total bilateral trade in goods and services has grown by almost 70 per cent. and now stands at close to £5 billion per annum. Over 1,600 joint ventures have been signed.
	The UK is India's largest trading partner in Europe and its second largest trading partner in the world (after the US). In 2000 (the last year for which complete figures are available) the UK accounted for over 6 per cent. of India's total foreign trade.
	Trade Partners UK has a detailed business plan for further developing the trade relations with India.

Lockerbie

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the report commissioned by the UN Secretary General on the appeal proceedings at the Scottish Court in the Netherlands (Lockerbie Court) in the case of Abdelbaset Ali Mohammed al-Megrahi v. HM Advocate by Professor Hans Koechler, on the basis of Security Council resolution 1192/1998.

Ben Bradshaw: The UN Secretary-General did not commission the report from Professor Koechler. Professor Koechler's report was written on behalf of the International Progress Organisation. His assertion that the Lockerbie appeal verdict was "not a victory for justice" impugns the Scottish legal system which gave al-Megrahi a trial that met the highest standards of fairness. The Lockerbie trial demonstrated the crucial role of the criminal justice system in responding to terrorism.

Jenin

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the United Kingdom is playing in seeking to investigate the deaths at Jenin.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was one of the first to call for an independent inquiry into what happened in Jenin. The UK played a leading role in the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1405, which asked the Secretary-General to deploy a Fact-Finding Mission into Jenin. We deplore the failure of the Israeli Government to co-operate with the UN to allow the deployment of the fact-finding team.
	The UK supported the paragraph in a UN General Assembly Resolution which requested that the Secretary- General present a report, drawing on the available resources and information, on the recent events that took place in Jenin and in other Palestinian cities.

Civil Service (Recruitment)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what percentage of his staff on the senior management system grade were educated at (a) public school, (b) Oxford university and (c) Cambridge university in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what percentage of (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners were educated at (i) public school, (ii) Oxford university and (iii) Cambridge university in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 22 April 2002
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's manpower system does hold some data on education details, but they are currently incomplete. We are about to survey staff on education details and I will write to my hon. Friend with the information he has requested as soon as possible. We hope to complete this exercise in about three months.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reasons for the removal from office of Mr. Jose Bustani, formerly Director General of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 8 May 2002, Official Report, column 240–41W.

Dr. Khalil Suleiman

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning the death of Dr. Khalil Suleiman in Jenin on 4 March; what assessment he has made of the cause of death of Dr. Khalil Suleiman; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We greatly regret the death of Dr. Suleiman who was the well-respected Director of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society's ambulance service.
	We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities about the need to allow ambulance workers to go about their business unimpeded and to allow humanitarian access to those in need. We have called on Israel to take all necessary precautions to spare civilians and civilian property.
	We do not have confirmation of the exact circumstances surrounding Dr. Suleiman's death and we look to the relevant authorities to investigate them.

Advisory Committee Mandates

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the mandate of the Committee on the Arrangements for Implementing Europe Agreements with the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Free-trade Agreements with the Baltic states is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The free trade agreements and Europe Agreements between the EU and 10 candidates for accession from central and eastern Europe (including the Baltics) are discussed at the Central European Working Group and monitored at the relevant Association Councils, Committees and specialist ad hoc sub- committee meetings.
	The Central European Working Group's mandate is to monitor the implementation of the Europe Agreements and free trade agreements. UK officials participate at the Central European Working Group and regularly attend the Association Councils and Committees to support UK policy interests. EU common positions in the group are reached by member states through consensus. Substantive issues, such as proposed regulations to reduce trade barriers, are submitted to both Houses for parliamentary scrutiny.
	Since May 2001, our records show that there have been 44 meetings of the group, 10 Association Councils and 10 Association Committees.
	Further detail on this matter could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Moluccas

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what actions Her Majesty's Government are taking to support the peace deal agreed in the Molucca Islands of Indonesia in February;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the situation in the Molucca Islands of Indonesia.

Ben Bradshaw: We welcome the agreement brokered by the Indonesian Government between the warring factions in Maluku to end the fighting. However, this is only the first small step to reconcile the warring communities and start the process of reconstruction and repatriation. The British Government have consistently made clear their view that long-term solutions to regional conflicts in Indonesia can be achieved only through negotiation and consultation, and that extremists who break the law should be dealt with firmly to allow space for reconciliation efforts to take root. The arrest of Laskar Jihad leader, Ja'far Umar Thalib, for inciting the violence against the Christian village of Soya on 28 April was a positive step.
	The UK, with our EU partners, has urged the Indonesian Government to build on this early, fragile, peace and implement in full their security and law enforcement obligations under the terms of the peace agreements. The Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged more than £4 million to help establish the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Conflict Prevention and Recovery Unit in Jakarta.

Middle East

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the incidents in which British citizens have been (a) killed and (b) wounded in (i) Israel and (ii) the territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority since 1 September 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We have been made aware of four fatalities and seven injuries since September 2000 involving British nationals. One death and two injuries were as a result of suicide bombs, and three fatalities and four injuries from shooting incidents in the west bank and Israeli/Lebanese border region. The majority of incidents involved dual UK/Israeli nationals resident in the area.
	Recently, three British peace protesters were also injured in the west bank following the Israeli invasion of the area.
	Our travel advice strongly advises against travel to the west bank and Gaza.

Middle East

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to whether the allegations of a massacre in Jenin were accurate.

Ben Bradshaw: Human Rights Watch in their report on the IDF military operations into Jenin have confirmed that at least 52 Palestinians were killed. The Israeli Government estimate is similar.
	The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution requesting that the Secretary-General present a report, drawing on the available resources and information, on the recent events that took place in Jenin and in other Palestinian cities. We shall support the Secretary-General in this and look forward to his report.

Middle East

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of evidence produced by the Israeli Government supporting their allegation of support by Chairman Arafat for terrorists.

Ben Bradshaw: We have seen the dossier, but cannot verify its authenticity. The EU Commissioner for External Affairs, Chris Patten, has made it clear that he has seen no hard evidence corroborating claims about the misuse of EU funds. The Palestinian Authority has denied its allegations.

Eurostat (Polling Questions)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to Eurostat for the inclusion of polling questions on repatriation of powers.

Peter Hain: The British Government have not made representations to Eurostat to include questions on this issue and has no plans to do so in the future.

Turkey

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the requirement for Turkey to reform the National Security Council prior to accession to the European Union.

Peter Hain: Reform of the National Security Council is one of the medium-term priorities in the EU's Turkey Accession Partnership, which sets out key elements of Turkey's pre-accession strategy. The Government continue to support the Accession Partnership as a cornerstone of the EU's policy towards Turkey. The Turkish National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis, agreed in March 2001 as a response to the Accession Partnership, commits Turkey to reviewing the relevant articles of the constitution and other legislation in the medium-term to define more clearly the structure and functions of this council.

Council of Ministers (Definitions)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his definition is of the Federation of Nation States as discussed at Council meetings; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The term "Federation of Nation States" has been used by several European leaders to describe the unique political entity that is the European Union. But it has no formal definitions, accepted by all, whether in Council meetings or elsewhere.

COREPER

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many A points were agreed in each year since 1997 at COREPER; and what proportion of overall items of legislation passed this represents.

Peter Hain: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The list of A points requiring clearance from London over the past five years amounts to over 8,000 items. These have not been stored in categories that fit easily into the strictures of the above question. The sifting of such a large amount of data would, therefore, amount to man-hours beyond the cost limit.

Li Jing-Feng

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Chinese Government about the arrest and disappearance of Catholic Bishop Lucas Li Jing-Feng and his assistant; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The fate and whereabouts of Bishop Lucas Li Jing-Feng and his assistant will be raised at the next session of the UK-China human rights dialogue to be held on 15 May.
	We raise our concerns about the treatment of Christians in general, as well as some specific cases, with the Chinese both at our biannual human rights dialogue and at other ministerial and official level meetings with the Chinese.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the damage caused, and likely costs of repair, to the Palestinian (a) Ministry of Information, (b) Ministry of Culture, (c) Ministry of Industry, (d) Ministry of Higher Education, (e) PLC, (f) Ministry of Local Government, (g) Presidential Compound, (h) Al-Bireh Municipality, (i) Beitunia Municipality, (j) Ministry of Economy and Trade, (k) Ministry of Social Affairs, (l) Ministry of Health, (m) Ministry of Interior, (n) Ministry of Finance, (o) Ministry of Agriculture, (p) Ministry of Environmental Affairs, (q) Ministry of Education, (r) General Personnel Council, (s) Ministry of Transportation, (t) Ministry of Supply, (u) Ministry of Public Works, (v) Ministry of Civil Affairs, (w) Ramallah Municipality and (x) Vegetable Market building during Israel's military incursion into the west bank during April.

Clare Short: I have been asked to reply.
	A detailed damage assessment is being conducted by the international agencies. A joint World bank/UNSCO (UN Special Coordinator's Office) is due to be circulated by 13 May, and follow up action discussed at a Local Aid Coordination Committee meeting later next week. EU contribution to reconstruction efforts will be considered there (from the Commission and from member states).

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Garden Compost

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Environment Agency regarding the safety of garden compost; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 8 May 2002
	As the hon. Member will know, the Government strongly support composting as a way of getting value from biodegradable waste by improving soil quality and replacing non-renewable products such as peat.
	Composting is covered on frequent occasions in discussions between my Department and the Environment Agency. However, the specific issue regarding the safety of garden compost rarely surfaces as householders who compost their garden waste are exempt from the requirement to have a licence or a permit under waste management or pollution control legislation enforced by the Environment Agency.

Foot and Mouth

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what clinical tests for foot and mouth disease were carried out by departmental vets in England to establish the existence of foot and mouth prior to 20 February 2001.

Margaret Beckett: Any person who suspects the presence of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in an animal or its carcase is legally obliged to notify MAFF/DEFRA without delay. In England and Wales in the period 1 January 1999 to 20 February 2001, there were four occasions on which a private veterinary surgeon sought a second opinion from a departmental veterinary officer in order to rule out foot and mouth disease or consider whether to treat the case as a suspect. Three were in 1999 and one in January 2001. In all four cases, clinical examination by a departmental VO ruled out the possibility of FMD without the need for laboratory tests. The last of these cases was on 1 January 2001 in Lostwithiel, Cornwall. It resulted from a post mortem inspection from a private veterinary surgeon of two sheep. The veterinary surgeon did not suspect FMD but requested confirmation from a veterinary officer from Truro Animal Health Office. A visit to inspect the carcases took place the same day. Both the veterinary surgeon and the veterinary officer were confident that FMD was not present. This list excludes the discovery of suspect FMD at Cheale's abattoir by an Official Veterinary Surgeon of the Meat Hygiene Service on 19 February 2001, which was confirmed as FMD the following day.

Foot and Mouth

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals have been slaughtered as a precautionary measure against foot and mouth in the last three months, broken down by (a) species, (b) location and (c) date.

Elliot Morley: Since the last case of foot and mouth disease on 30 September 2001 all animals that have been slaughtered have been either dangerous contacts as a result of sero-positive blood samples or slaughter on suspicion cases. All have been thoroughly investigated and in no case has evidence of foot and mouth virus been found.
	The following table provides a breakdown by location and date of the animals slaughtered since 1 January 2002. All of these have been sheep.
	
		
			 Location Date Number of sheep 
		
		
			 Northumberland 1 January 2002 2,067 
			 Northumberland 9 January 2002 2 
			 Lancashire 24 January 2002 1 
			 Cumbria 22 February 2002 1 
			 North Yorkshire 26 February 2002 2 
			 North Yorkshire 11 March 2002 1

BSE

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much compensation has been paid to farmers as a result of culling for BSE.

Elliot Morley: Compensation has been paid to farmers as a result of BSE since August 1988. A total of £277,988,250.45 was paid to 31 March 2002 inclusive. This comprised:
	Compensation for slaughter of animals suspected of having BSE the basis of clinical symptoms: £147,872,499.00
	Compensation for 'offspring cull' (slaughter of healthy animals with a theoretical risk of exposure to BSE through maternal transmission): £8,987,115.00
	Compensation of 'selective cull' (slaughter of animals coming from the same 'cohort' as BSE cases born between July 1989 and June 1993, ie animals reared with BSE cases which are likely to have been exposed to the same risk of infection by the BSE agent in animal feed): £121,128,636.45

BSE

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the recent European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office report on the implementation by the French authorities of European rules on protective measures against BSE in France; what discussions she has had with (a) her French Government counterpart and (b) the European Commission about the report's findings; and if she will make a statement on the continuing French ban on imports of British beef.

Elliot Morley: It is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that member states take adequate steps to follow up findings from the reports of Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) missions, to make certain that appropriate and timely corrective actions are taken and necessary improvements achieved. In the past, the Commission has prepared infringement proceedings as a result of the FVO's findings against member states which were considered to have taken inadequate steps to implement EU rules relating to BSE. It should be noted, however, that the initial response of the French authorities to the FVO's recent inspection suggests that serious attention is being paid to following-up the mission's findings, so as to rectify the deficiencies that the visit identified.
	The Secretary of State continues to make it clear to both French Ministers and Commissioner Byrne that France should respect the 13 December 2001 judgment of the ECJ, which judged that the French ban was illegal. France should lift its ban on imports of British beef as soon as possible.

Flood Defences

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of flood defences damaged in autumn 2000 have been (a) reinstated, (b) returned to their original level and (c) enhanced.

Elliot Morley: Operational responsibility for flood defences rests with the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. I understand that the Environment Agency has reinstated and returned to their original level all of their flood defences that were damaged in autumn 2000. The agency has also investigated to a pre-feasibility stage all those defences that were identified as requiring enhancement and, where appropriate, they have been included in capital investment programmes. Information is not readily available on this basis for local authorities and internal drainage boards.
	This Department provided contributions of £16.35 million to the Environment Agency and £1.0 million to internal drainage boards in respect of emergency costs and repairs following the autumn 2000 floods.

Flood Defences

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on measures she has taken to improve protection against flooding and to assist those affected in recent floods.

Elliot Morley: I plan to reduce the risk of flooding by investing in effective flood warning arrangements and in flood and coastal defences in the highest risk areas. This Department provides grants for flood and coastal defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score. However as the bulk of expenditure is ultimately met by taxpayers, both DEFRA and the operating authorities have a responsibility to ensure that value for money is obtained when funding works. Further to increases in the last two Spending Reviews, additional funding of £51 million over the four years from 2001–01 was announced in November 2000 following the severe flooding. In all DEFRA flood and coastal defence funding is set to increase from £66 million in 2000–01 to £114 million in 2003–04. Funding for future years will be considered in the Spending Review process. Responsibility for deciding which projects to promote and their timing rests with the operating authorities. The operating authority for each area draws on its local knowledge to decide what needs to be done.
	Local authorities take the lead in providing emergency support to those affected by flooding and the costs so incurred may be eligible for refund under through Bellwin Schemes that are administered by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. The Government do not, however, provide direct financial support to those affected by flooding as it is generally an insurable risk. We are working with the insurance industry to help ensure the continued widespread availability of affordable flood cover.

Farm Assurance Schemes

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farm assurance schemes are open to farmers in the United Kingdom; and if her Department's regional offices are equipped to advise farmers on these farm assurance schemes.

Elliot Morley: Assurance schemes are private initiatives. The Department does not maintain a comprehensive record of the schemes operating in the United Kingdom, nor does it have responsibility for advising farmers on their relative merits.

Veterinary Service

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2002, Official Report, column 1058W, for what reasons she does not intend to recruit additional veterinary surgeons in 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: There are no plans to recruit State Veterinary Service (SVS) veterinarians during 2002–03. The Government are determined to ensure that the SVS has the ability to operate with maximum efficiency and be able to respond rapidly to any emergency. For this reason, plans are being put in place to recruit additional staff should the need arise. We have recently finalised a recruitment exercise and the number of permanent veterinary officers is broadly similar to 1997.
	SVS veterinarians are supported by approximately 7,832 Local Veterinary Inspectors who act as agents of the SVS. Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs) are also appointed throughout Great Britain, there are approximately 280, over half of whom are currently working on foot and mouth clear up.

Veterinary Products

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will provide the declaration of interests for the members of the Veterinary Products Committee.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 May 2002
	The declaration of interests for members of the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) is published in the Medicines Act 1968 Advisory Bodies Annual Report, a copy of which is available in the Library. A regularly updated version is also available on the VPC website (www.vpc.gov.uk).

Veterinary Products

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will provide the declaration of interests for the members of the Veterinary Residues Committee.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 May 2002
	The Veterinary Residues Committee (VRC) discussed declaration of interests at their meeting on 7 March 2002. The minutes of the meeting are available on the VRC website at vet-residues-committee.gov.uk. Officials at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate subsequently wrote to all members of the Committee asking them to update their declarations. These are being placed on the VRC's website.

Veterinary Products

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what data she has collated relating to the statutory programme on multiple veterinary medicines residues for (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000; and if she will make it available.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 May 2002
	The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) published annual reports on surveillance for veterinary residues for the years 1996 to 2000. Copies are in the Library. Statutory surveillance is undertaken to comply with Council Directive 96/23/EC. Analysing samples for more than one substance is not required by the directive, but in practice the nature of the analytical techniques used may reveal the presence of more than one substance. Each of these would then be individually identified. Multiple residues are very rarely found. They would be referred to in the results reported by the VMD but they are not collated.

Organic Farming

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent research her Department has undertaken to investigate whether organic and conventional farms differ in total factor productivity growth and its composition; and if she will place copies in the Library;
	(2)  what (a) measures and (b) methodology she uses to assess the relative (i) efficiency and (ii) productivity of (A) organic and (B) conventional dairy and livestock farms; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the (a) efficiency and (b) productivity of (i) organic and (ii) conventional dairy and livestock farms; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the relationship between a farmer's yield and their decision to switch to organic production; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: One of the key objectives of the DEFRA organic R & D programme is to obtain and evaluate data on the agronomic performance as well as profitability and costs of the main types of organic farm system during and after conversion. Studies are in place on stockless arable, pigs and poultry, upland sheep and beef, specialist dairy and field vegetables enterprises in which data from conventional systems is taken into account. In addition, the programme has funded the development of organic conversion planning software; a prototype is shortly to be tested with organic advisers. A summary of the Department's organic farming research programme can be found on the DEFRA website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/research/Publications/ OFR_Research_Project_Summaries.zip
	The Department has also funded a study of farmers' attitudes to organic conversion. The report on this study, which was carried out by the Welsh Institute of Rural Studies, can be found on the website of the University of Aberystwyth: http://www.organic.aber.ac.uk/library/ Attitude%20survey.pdf

Farmers (Retirement Schemes)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce a retirement scheme for tenant farmers; and if she will make a statement;

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made on the introduction of an early retirement scheme for farmers.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 13 May 2002
	We have no plans at present to introduce such a scheme. We consulted on the early retirement provisions of the EU Rural Development Regulation when drawing up plans for implementation of the regulation, but in the light of responses to that consultation we decided that the limited funds available for implementation would be better directed towards other measures to assist the industry. This is because the type of early retirement scheme available under the regulation could not be targeted effectively towards those who should benefit, such as tenant farmers.
	The general question of policy on helping farmers to leave the industry will, however, be considered further in the light of the feedback we receive on the issues we have asked stakeholders to consider following publication of the Policy Commission report.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what pecuniary incentives offered to those companies volunteering to place an absolute cap on their emissions under the UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (a) since its inception and (b) for its duration.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 15 April 2002
	At the inception of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, the Government offered £215 million to encourage organisations to take on voluntary binding emissions reductions targets for their greenhouse gas emissions. This incentive money was allocated to organisations through an auction in March. 34 organisations bid into the final round, taking on binding emission reduction targets totalling 4,028,176 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) by the end of the five years of the scheme. The auction cleared after nine rounds at a price of £53.37 per tonne of CO 2 equivalent emission reduction. After tax, and when related to the reduction from the baseline for each year, this equates to about £12.50 per tonne. Firms will receive their annual incentive payments only after they have achieved their annual emission reduction targets.

Entertainment Costs

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by departmental special advisers on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for entertainment purposes in each of the last five years.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 May 2002
	The information requested is not held centrally and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

Entertainment Costs

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by Ministers in her Department since its creation on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for official entertainment purposes.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The information requested is not held centrally and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

Village Halls

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations concerning the future funding of village halls she has received from Action with Communities in Rural England; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Action with Communities in Rural England has sent me its report, "The Status of Funding for Village Halls", which I have read with interest. My officials will meet representatives of Action with Communities in Rural England on 17 May. We shall consider what further action may be needed after that meeting.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money has been spent on the New Home Energy Efficiency Scheme since its introduction, broken down by the different measures.

Michael Meacher: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, now marketed as the Warm Front Team, was launched on 1 June 2000. The following table identifies the amount of grant spent on insulation and heating measures from June 2000 to March 2002.
	
		£ million 
		
			  Insulation Heating 
		
		
			 HEES installed measures 58 13 
			 HEES plus installed measures(2) 29 83 
		
	
	(2) HEES Plus measures includes central heating systems for the over 60s in receipt of an income-related benefit

Pesticides

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the voluntary package of measures to reduce the environmental damage of pesticide use implemented by the industry and other stakeholders in April 2001; if she will place copies of related documentation in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The first progress report from the Steering Group of the Pesticides Voluntary Initiative was received in February and assessed by the Government to inform the 2002 Budget (Budget Report 2002—Chapter 7).
	I am placing a copy in the Library of the House.

Farming/Tourism

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the changes in revenues received by the (a) farming and (b) tourism industries as a result of foot and mouth disease and the events of 11 September 2001.

Elliot Morley: It is difficult to separate out the effects of either of these events and estimates will depend on a range of assumptions. The best estimates that we have made, in conjunction with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is that foot and mouth imposed economic costs of some £3.1 billion on UK agriculture and the food industry (of which some £2.6 billion was met by the Exchequer). In the case of businesses dependent on tourism the economic losses were estimated at between £2.7 billion and £3.2 billion as a result of estimated loss of revenue of £4.5 billion to £5.3 billion. The overall losses to the economy will have been much smaller than these estimates as expenditure on trips to the countryside (by UK visitors) which were foregone because of foot and Mouth appear to have largely been replaced by spending elsewhere in the economy, either in alternative tourist locations or on goods and services unrelated to tourism.
	There are no comprehensive estimates of the effects of the events of 11 September on tourism or farming. However the International Passenger Survey reports that overseas residents' total expenditure on visits to the UK was down by 19 per cent. for the three months September to November 2001 and 13 per cent. for December to February 2002 compared to the same periods in 2000.

Refrigerators and Freezers

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies her Department has made into the preparation by other EU states to meet the latest EU regulations on the disposal of old refrigerators and freezers, with special reference to the equipment obtained.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 11 February 2002
	The Department has made inquiries via the British embassies. Five member states appear to have sufficient treatment facilities to deal with all their fridges. It appears that four, like the UK, are complying with the regulations as they have plant operating which can partly meet their requirements and are exporting the remaining fridges. Five member states do not appear to have plants currently which can remove CFCs from insulation foam and are either storing or exporting them, or do not meet the regulation.

Dairy Produce

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much milk produce was imported into the United Kingdom (a) in total, (b) as liquid, (c) as powder, (d) as cheese and (e) as yoghurt in (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2001–02.

Elliot Morley: The table shows the UK imports of milk and milk produce between 1999 and 2002.
	
		PQ 5942—UK imports of milk and milk produce (1999—2002)
		
			   1999  2000  2001  2002 (Jan-Feb)  
			 Product type Tonnes £000  Tonnes  £000  Tonnes £000  Tonnes £000  
		
		
			 Liquid milk and milk product 
			 Buttermilk 22,537 22,148 26,120 26,623 28,859 25,654 2,498 2,280 
			 Condensed milk 14,046 12,087 14,937 16,611 14,002 15,449 1,834 1,932 
			 Skimmed milk 54,051 13,890 21,813 5,572 12,604 5,085 1,984 640 
			 Whole milk 84,378 19,999 104,199 23,141 80,007 19,479 4,442 1,434 
			 Total 175,012 68,124 167,068 71,946 135,471 65,667 10,759 6,287 
			 Powdered milk and milk product 
			 Skimmed milk powder 17,839 25,144 13,824 21,973 22,665 25,974 2,454 3,216 
			 Whole milk powder 9,561 13,076 10,986 15,662 8,314 13,400 2,260 2,710 
			 Total 27,400 38,220 24,809 37,634 30,980 39,374 4,715 5,926 
			  
			 Cheese 277,359 630,131 254,753 601,037 273,148 652,872 37,857 86,152 
			 Yoghurt 68,479 55,975 131,858 67,901 144,192 72,590 6,856 5,950 
			 Other (mainly butter and ice cream) 203,777 363,324 214,753 367,441 224,659 389,771 24,334 39,968 
			 Grand total 752,026 1,155,774 793,241 1,145,960 808,450 1,220,273 84,521 144,283

Travellers (Horses)

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from travellers groups regarding (a) horse management and (b) the tethering of horses.

Elliot Morley: Friends, families and travellers advice and information unit have responded to the consultation on an Animal Welfare Bill. Their letter deals with equine tethering.

Intensive Farming (Ducks)

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on intensive farming of ducks, with particular reference to (a) the number of ducks intensively farmed, (b) the size of cages used, (c) the type of food that is available to them, (d) the availability of fresh water and (e) the use of antibiotics to counter disease.

Elliot Morley: DEFRA does not currently collect data on the rearing methods employed by individual duck producers or on the use of medicinal antibiotics in intensive systems. Antibiotics for ducks are licensed under the Medicines Act 1968 and are only available to counter disease on prescription from a veterinary surgeon.
	Ducks are not kept in cages in the UK. Ducks must be kept in accordance with the Code of Practice on the Welfare of Ducks. The detailed recommendations for feed and water are: the birds should have easy access to adequate fresh feed each day, and have fresh water at all times; consideration should be given to the provision of water troughs which are deep enough to allow the ducks to get their heads completely under water; whatever feeding and drinking system is used sufficient trough space for feeding and drinking should be provided to prevent undue competition for feed or water; stale or contaminated feed or water should not be allowed to accumulate and should be replaced immediately; and efforts should be made to minimise the risk of drinking water freezing. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 also requires that all animals must be fed a wholesome diet that is appropriate to their age and species.

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills), gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe) on 25 April 2002, Official Report, column 446W.

Farmgate and Supermarket Prices

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2002, Official Report, columns 506–07W, what the value is of 100.0 in sterling for (a) agricultural producer prices and (b) retail prices.

Elliot Morley: The indices shown in the previous reply were three-month moving averages of the Agricultural Price Index and the Retail Price Index. The estimated prices for the period December 1999 to February 2000 which were used to compile the base value of 100.0 for both indices are given in the following table. Also given are the equivalent prices for the period October 2001 to December 2001 to aid comparison in sterling terms.
	
		Estimated average producer prices for Great Britain and retail prices for the United Kingdom based on the API and RPI series -- £ per kilogram
		
			  December 1999 to February 2000 October 2001 to December 2001 
		
		
			 Producer prices of finished sheep and lambs—GB(3) 1.96 1.82 
			
			 Retail price of home killed lamb— UK(4)   
			 Loin chops (with bone) 8.14 8.49 
			 Shoulder (with bone) 3.34 3.31 
		
	
	(3) Basic source: Meat and Livestock Commission. Estimated deadweight prices of Standard Quality Quotation sheep.
	(4) Basic source: UK RPI, Office for National Statistics. Cut or diced lamb is also included in the RPI information quoted in the previous reply but separate prices are not published due to the variability of the individual items priced.

Oilseed Rape

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to increase production of oilseed rape; what is the 2001–02 value of oilseed rape production to UK farmers; what percentage of agriculturally productive land is under oilseed rape in the last year for which figures are available; and what discussions she has had with (a) the Food Standards Agency and (b) the Department of Health about the promotion of oilseed rape oil as a healthy dietary oil.

Elliot Morley: The Department's approach to agriculture is set out in our aims and objectives and in the recently published document "Working for the Essentials of Life". This includes increasing agriculture's responsiveness to market demands and working with the Food Standards Agency and Department of Health to encourage healthy eating.
	We are currently taking this forward by seeking to reduce production subsidies through CAP reform and by consulting on improving dietary and nutritional advice. Oilseed rape is one of a number of crops that can meet farmers or consumers choices in these circumstances. Available figures indicate that the value of oilseed rape production to UK farmers is around £275 million (including arable area aid payments) and that it accounts for about 2.6 per cent. of all agriculturally productive land or approximately 8.5 per cent. of the area of land on which arable area payments are claimed).

Bovine TB

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much she has spent on bovine TB research and control in each of the past five years; how much compensation has been paid to farmers following enforced slaughtering of cattle due to bovine TB infection in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The costs of bovine TB research and control over the last five years are set out in the table. The figures for 2001–02 are not yet available. The collation method has changed during the period and the financial year figures for 1997–98 can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 1997 16,100,000 
			 1998–99(5) 24,833,000 
			 1999–2000(5) 38,244,000 
			 2000–01(5) 35,904,000 
		
	
	(5) Financial years
	The compensation paid for cattle slaughtered to control bovine TB in each of the last five years is set out in the table. (These figures are collated on a calendar year basis for international returns.) The compensation rate was changed on 26 August 1998 from 75 per cent. of the market value of the animals (up to a ceiling based on average market price) to the full market value of the animals.
	
		
			 Year Amount (£) 
		
		
			 1997 2,386,029 
			 1998 3,605,242 
			 1999 5,770,983 
			 2000 7,307,797 
			 2001 7,074,125

Bushmeat

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government have taken since 1997 to prevent the killing of highly endangered species for bushmeat.

Michael Meacher: Most endangered species are protected by national law in all the countries they inhabit; they are also protected internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). While this Government cannot intervene directly in the protection of wildlife abroad we can and do make every effort to help other countries develop and implement their own wildlife protection measures and those required under CITES.
	For instance, since 1997, concern about the increasingly unsustainable nature of the bushmeat trade and its effects on endangered species led to my Department raising the issue within CITES, which resulted in the establishment of a bushmeat working group to help central and west African range states develop and implement their own solutions. We have contributed £55,000 to the working group to help the range states participate and to support the recruitment of consultants to revise and harmonise their own wildlife policies and legislation. UK work also takes place through the Convention on Biological Diversity, particularly through the forestry work programme recently adopted by parties.
	We have also funded research. The results of one project, analysing existing knowledge and expertise on the bushmeat trade, highlighting gaps in data and understanding, and making recommendations on further action, have now been published and we hope that they will be of particular benefit to the CITES bushmeat working group. We have also provided £248,000, through the Darwin Initiative, to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Wildlife Conservation Research Unit to provide a model of the bushmeat problem in general and develop an integrated solution to the over-exploitation of wildlife in lowland forest areas in Africa.
	Endangered species particularly at risk from the bushmeat trade include gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees), and unsustainable trade in bushmeat will be one of the issues addressed by the United Nations Environment Programme's new Great Ape Survival Programme (GrASP). My Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have contributed £175,000 to GrASP, some 10 per cent. of the total amount sought by UNEP. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office plans to make a further donation and our embassies and high commissions overseas have been providing logistical and political support to GrASP.
	The Department for International Development (DfID), while primarily concerned with helping to eradicate world poverty, also recognises the need to address concerns about the pressures on endangered species of the bushmeat trade. DfID's concern about bushmeat is focused on the impact of the hunting, selling and consumption of bushmeat on the food security and livelihoods of poor people. For instance, DfID has supported the implementation of forestry laws in Cameroon giving communities the rights to manage their forest and wildlife resources. DfID feels the best way to encourage a sustainable bushmeat trade in Cameroon is to include it as part of a package of reforms strengthening the governance of natural resource management generally.

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Directive

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the results of consultation on the implementation of the nitrate vulnerable zones directive;
	(2)  what level of designation of nitrate vulnerable zones is (a) required by European directive and (b) proposed to be implemented in the UK;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the ways in which other EU countries are implementing the nitrate vulnerable zones directive.

Michael Meacher: The nitrates directive requires that measures to control nitrate pollution are either applied throughout England or in areas draining into polluted waters and waters at risk of pollution. Details of these options were published on 20 December 2000 in a consultation document "How should England implement the 1991 Nitrates Directive."
	We are currently considering the responses to the consultation before deciding whether to implement either option 1 (the whole of England approach) or option 2 (discrete NVZ approach). We will publish an analysis of the consultation responses when we announce our decision on how we intend to implement the directive.
	Six other member states have implemented the directive by applying control measures throughout their territory. A seventh, the Republic of Ireland, is also considering this option. A number of other member states are reviewing the extent of the areas that they have designated under the directive, with a view to designating additional areas.

Combined Heat and Power

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government's draft strategy for combined heat and power will be published.

Margaret Beckett: I am pleased to announce that my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment will be launching the Government's draft "Strategy for Combined Heat and Power to 2010" for public consultation tomorrow, Wednesday 15 May. The consultation document will be available on the DEFRA website at www.defra.gov.uk and copies will be made available in the Libraries of the House.
	The closing date for comments on the strategy will be Wednesday 7 August 2002.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Equality

Jean Corston: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what initial conclusions the Government have reached on the long-term arrangements for offering advice, guidance and support on equality matters.

Barbara Roche: I am today formally announcing the start of a project considering the long-term options for the UK's equality machinery. I intend that this project will report its initial findings in the autumn.
	Our first step will be to look at the feasibility of a single equality body.
	The project will consider the work of the existing commissions (the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC)), existing discrimination legislation, and put that in the context of new legislation for equal treatment in employment and training on grounds of age, sexual orientation and religion.
	We are keen to work closely with the other experts in the equalities filed on this project. The Government want to be sure that the long-term structures for equality in the UK are carefully thought out and designed to meet the needs of all, individuals and businesses alike.
	The existing commissions have over different time scales made an admirable and significant contribution to equality in this country. We need to ensure that the expertise and reputation of the commissions are preserved whatever the outcome of the review—and we shall be involving and consulting them at every stage to ensure this happens.
	If the outcome of the project and consultation does lead to recommendations for significant change, I would not expect any new structures to be operative in the lifetime of this Parliament.
	The terms of reference for the project have been placed in the Library.

Regional Assemblies

Peter Luff: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that, in any referendum to establish a regional assembly in England, each unitary authority and county council area within that region will be required to approve the establishment of an assembly in addition to that referendum producing a positive result across the whole region.

Alan Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
	No. We do not believe that individual local authorities should be able to veto the establishment of an elected regional assembly where people in a region have voted for one at a referendum.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: The Cabinet Office has not incurred any expenditure on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: To the best of my knowledge the Cabinet Office has not incurred any expenditure on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Government and Crown Interests

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 19 April 2002, Official Report, column 1251W, on refurbishment and the answer to the hon. Member for Gordon of 24 April 2002, Official Report, column 272W, if he will make a further statement in respect of progress on the chain of supply, procurement policy and the contract relating to the Cabinet Office and other continuing refurbishment and construction projects on the Government estate.

John Prescott: I have received an initial report into the issues of timber procurement for the 22 Whitehall project. I have asked for further investigation to be done on some aspects of these issues and I will report to the House when the report is finalised.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Public Access and Information

Marion Roe: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on progress in improving public access to the House and information about its work.

Archy Kirkwood: Providing information and access to the public is one of the four core tasks in the House of Commons Commission's strategic plan. Some improvements have already been made, some are under way, and others are at the planning stage.
	The Office of the Clerk operates as a central point of contact for media inquiries, and, where necessary, all Departments now use the services available from the specialist communications and media advisers.
	Education and schools
	The Parliamentary Education Unit, which operates on behalf of both Houses, continues to develop its services for schools and teachers including a new programme of visits, Citizenship in the 21st Century, aimed at pupils aged 8–14, begun last year.
	A new 60 minute video, "Parliament Uncovered", explains the work of Parliament to students aged 14–18. Until December 2002 the video is being made available to UK schools at cost price. "Parliament Uncovered" won silver in the education category of the March 2002 International Visual Communication Association Awards. Work on a new video aimed at students aged 8–13 began in April 2002.
	In May 2002 the Unit's series of six education sheets was re-issued as "Parliament Explained" booklets with an improved format and rewritten contents.
	The Unit's website, explore Parliament www.explore.parliament.uk, has been further developed with new material and features added.
	Visitor access
	Following two years of successful pilot schemes, both Houses decided earlier this year that the Summer Opening should become a permanent feature. This year, the Summer Opening of Parliament will run six days a week from 3 August to 26 September. The Commission attaches great importance to high quality public tours the year round, emphasising the role of Parliament as a working legislature. We are working towards a single official tours operation supporting both the Summer Opening and tours at other times.
	The new Jubilee Visitor Cafeteria off Westminster Hall was officially opened by Mr. Speaker this morning, Tuesday 14 May. It seats 100, serves modestly priced light refreshments, and is fully wheelchair accessible.
	A feasibility study for an information and visitor centre for Parliament has started and is due to be completed in July. This will review current ways in which visitors are received and will look at the options for both location and functions of a centre, together with likely usage levels. Architectural and security considerations will be taken into account.
	Select committees
	From the start of this year, select committee reports have had a redesigned cover, larger print and standard numbering of pages. A redesign project is under way, intended to produce reports which are more attractive and accessible to a general reader.
	The Modernisation Committee recommended that notes for visitors should be available to describe how a committee works, and who the witnesses are. This arrangement has now been initiated by over a dozen committees. The House authorities are also shortly to install electronic screens at St. Stephen's entrance: these will list the day's public meetings, and I hope that this will encourage more people to attend Select committee evidence sessions.
	Parliament online
	A one year pilot webcasting scheme began in January 2002, with www.parliamentlive.tv providing fully comprehensive live coverage of both Chambers and debates in Westminster Hall and a range of Select and Standing Committees. The pilot will be evaluated towards the end of the year.
	A redesign of the website www.parliament.uk is in progress, with the aim of improving navigation, and making it more attractive and usable for the casual inquirer as well as the specialist. The new design will go live later this year, and further improvements will be made in the future.
	Public information materials
	A new design for public information materials has been developed, to provide a more modern 'look and feel' without any increase in annual production budgets. This will be available in autumn 2002, following the upgrade of computer software. An editorial group has been established to ensure that the House's range of public information materials is up-to-date, comprehensive, and meets the needs of a range of external audiences.
	Research
	Finally, customer research completed in March 2002 has illustrated the need to continue improving the services provided to the public. Areas singled out for particular emphasis include: further improvements to the website; consolidation of the currently fragmented approach to visitors and tours; and exploring the scope for partnership with other organisations working in related fields.

TREASURY

Abu Hamza

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to his answer of 8 May 2002, ref 54509, what steps he is taking to freeze the assets of Abu Hamza; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 13 May 2002
	The Government instructed the Bank of England on 19 April to issue a Notice to all UK banks and financial institutions requiring them to freeze any accounts found belonging to Abu Hamza, together with those of nine other individuals and organisations. Banks have taken appropriate action.
	In each case the Government had reasonable grounds to suspect involvement in committing or facilitating acts of terrorism with links to al-Qaeda and Taliban. The names were subsequently announced at the meeting of G7 Finance Ministers and listed under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1390 which imposes sanctions against the Taliban, Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and their associates. The Government remain fully committed to disrupting and closing down the sources of terrorist finances wherever they are found.

Pension Schemes

James Purnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what savings public sector pension schemes are predicted to make from the projected growth in single pension households on a like for like basis; and what the estimated costs are of introducing unmarried partner pensions across the public services.

Andrew Smith: The Government set out their policy regarding the provision of unmarried partner pensions in their Green Paper "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions" (Cmnd 4179, December 1998): if the membership of a public service scheme wanted to extend eligibility for survivors' pensions to unmarried partners and were prepared to meet the additional costs, the Government would be prepared to consider how practicable arrangements could be devised for providing this within a statutory scheme.
	An important factor underlying this policy is cost. Estimates by the Government Actuary's department show that the additional cash cost for introducing unmarried partner pensions across the public services could range from £350 to £1,000 million a year for the future service of current members, depending on the definition of dependent partner adopted and any restrictions imposed on the availability of benefit. There would be significant additional capitalised costs associated with any wider extension of unmarried partner benefits, for example, to cover past service.
	Estimates of any potential savings public service schemes might gain from the projected growth in single pension households could be derived separately only at disproportionate cost. The expected change in family structures, however, is just one of a number of factors which influence the long-term costs of the public service schemes. Many of these factors are expected to result in an increase in long-term costs, with increased life expectancy of pensioners being highly significant.

Joint Ministerial Group on Poverty

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the membership is of the Joint Ministerial Group on Poverty; and when (a) the group has met and (b) its next meeting will be.

Gordon Brown: The Joint Ministerial Committee on Poverty has met on 9 December 1999 and 26 May 2000, and will meet in July. At its last meeting the committee had the following membership:
	Chancellor of the Exchequer
	Secretary of State for Social Security
	Chief Secretary to the Treasury
	Secretary of State for Scotland
	Secretary of State for Wales
	Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
	Minister of State, Environment, Transport and the Regions (Minister for Local Government and the Regions)
	First Minister, Scottish Executive
	Minister for Communities, Scottish Executive
	First Minister, Northern Ireland Executive Committee
	Deputy First Minister, Northern Ireland Executive Committee
	First Secretary, National Assembly for Wales
	Finance Secretary, National Assembly for Wales.
	Others are invited to attend as necessary.

Parliamentary Questions

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses in determining what information relating to the companies from which Ministers have received hospitality he provides in answer to written parliamentary questions.

Ruth Kelly: All parliamentary questions are considered on their merits by Treasury Ministers in accordance with the provisions of the Ministerial Code. Whether or not Ministers or officials have given or received hospitality from companies or individuals does not influence in any way the answers which are given to parliamentary questions.

Employment

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in the number of people employed in the (a) public sector and (b) private sector since January 2000.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Philip Hammond dated 14 May 2002
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of people employed in the (a) public sector (b) the private sector since January 2000. I am replying in his absence. (55013)
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of people employed in each sector. The annual estimates for those in employment in the United Kingdom for each year from 2000–01 and 20001–02 are given in the table. These estimates are not seasonally adjusted.
	
		Number of people employed in public and private industry—average (spring to winter), 2000 and 2001, United Kingdom (not seasonally adjusted)
		
			  Public Private 
		
		
			 March 2000 to February 2001 (Thousand) 6,422 21,596 
			 March 2001 to February 2002 (Thousand) 6,479 21,767 
			 Percentage change on year percentage 0.9 0.8 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by his Department since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: Comprehensive information is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The principal item of legislation for which the Treasury has been responsible since 1997 is the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. This created in the order of 35 criminal offences. However, in consequence of that Act much previous legislation was repealed, including the Insurance Companies Act 1982, the Financial Services Act 1986 and the Banking Act 1987, involving the abolition of at least 80 criminal offences.
	In addition the Bank of England Act 1998 created four criminal offences.

Tax Revenue

Peter Lilley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much it would cost each year in lost tax revenue (a) to remove the cap on contributions to company pension schemes and (b) to increase the gap by the rise in the index of average earnings since it was introduced.

Ruth Kelly: Due to the uncertainty of the behavioural effects resulting from such a change on both past and future contributions, estimates are not available.

VAT

Nigel Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost to HM Treasury of reducing the liability for VAT to 5 per cent. for small museums; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to reduce the liability for VAT to 5 per cent. for small museums; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the impact of VAT on small museums.

Paul Boateng: The impact of VAT on museums and other bodies depends upon their individual circumstances. No detailed assessment has been made either of the impact of VAT on small museums or of the cost of introducing a reduced VAT rate for them. The Government have no plans to introduce such a reduced rate.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what support has been given to LPG conversion in terms of (a) the cost of conversion, (b) fuel tax and (c) vehicle excise duty (i) prior to and (ii) in the Budget; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: In 2001–02 the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions paid nearly £5 million in grants through the Powershift programme to help to meet the costs of converting vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Duty on LPG was cut in Budget 2001 from 15p to 9p per kilogramme and a commitment was made not to increase duty in real terms until 2004 at the earliest. Budget 2002 froze duty on LPG in cash terms. The graduated VED scheme for cars first registered after 1 March 2001 offers a reduction of up to £10 a year for cars using LPG.

Pool Betting Duty

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the net effect to the Treasury of the abolition of the pool betting duty and replacement with the tax on pools companies' gross profits in each of the next four years.

Paul Boateng: An estimate of the cost of reforming pools betting duty for each of the three years to 2004–05 was published in Table B4 of the pre-Budget report November 2001.

Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated level of losses to fraud and corruption was in (a) his Department's Vote 1 budget and (b) his Department's Vote 2 budget for (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01.

Dawn Primarolo: There were no losses to fraud or corruption from the Treasury's resources in the period mentioned.

National Insurance Contributions

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people he estimates will pay national insurance contributions in each of the next four years.

Dawn Primarolo: Available estimates of the number of people estimated to be liable to pay national insurance contributions on an average weekly basis are given in the table.
	
		Estimated number of UK contributors, 2000–01 to 2003–04 -- Million
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Class 1 21.6 21.4 21.5 21.8 
			 Class 2 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.8 
			 Class 3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
		
	
	These estimates were provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

Tax Credits

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what publicity he plans to give to the increase in the child component of the working families tax credit in June; and how many extra families will become entitled to the working families' tax credit as a result of the increase.

Dawn Primarolo: The basic tax credit within working families' tax credit (WFTC) will be increased by £2.50 for awards starting from 4 June 2002. This is in addition to the increase to WFTC made in April. Publicity of WFTC continues via posters and leaflets in post offices and doctors' surgeries across the country, and via Bounty Packs issued to new mothers.

SCOTLAND

Public Expenditure

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, 
	(1)  pursuant to the Scotland Office Press Release SS0067, issued on 17 April, which elements of the additional spending allocated to Scotland (a) result from the application of the Barnett Formula and (b) are external to the formula;
	(2)  pursuant to the Scotland Office Press Release SS0067, issued on 17 April, if she will place in the Library the calculations behind the announcement of an extra £8.2 billion of spending as a result of the Budget 2002.

Helen Liddell: All of the additional spending allocated to the Scottish Executive as a result of the health measures announced in the Budget were determined by application of the Barnett formula. The annual additions to the Scottish Executive Budget resulting from the Chancellor's Budget announcement on 17 April 2002 are reproduced as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			  Additional amount 
		
		
			 2003–04 224 
			 2004–05 858 
			 2005–06 1,576 
			 2006–07 2,341 
			 2007–08 3,201 
			 Total 8,200

Young People

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what subjects and on which dates her Department has recently consulted organisations representing young people; and if she will list such organisations.

Helen Liddell: The responsibilities of the Department require very few consultations. Our consultation on 18 December 2001 on the size of the Scottish Parliament included Youthlink Scotland and the Scottish Youth Parliament. My Department, along with others, carried out a wide-ranging consultation on the SEN and disability Rights in Education Bill on 17 March 2000. This involved consulting a wide variety of young people's representative bodies.

Statutory Instruments

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which the competent authority is to which members of the public should refer questions relating to (a) the classification of statutory instruments and (b) whether statutory instruments should have been laid before Parliament, with reference to statutory instruments with solely Scottish applicability and which pre-date the establishment of the Scottish Parliament but relate to matters that have been devolved.

Helen Liddell: The relevant authorities are a) the Statutory Instruments Reference Committee, and b) the Scottish Courts.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed.

Helen Liddell: My Department does not own any buildings with solar panels.

Joint Ministerial Committees

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which joint ministerial committees have met since 1999; what subjects each has discussed; and on what dates each has met.

Helen Liddell: The Joint Ministerial Committees that have met since 1999 are shown in the table. The subjects discussed at each Joint Ministerial Committee are confidential. Where appropriate, news releases have been issued after a Joint Ministerial Committee meeting and can be viewed on the Cabinet Office website www.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
	
		
			 JMC type Date 
		
		
			 Plenary 1 September 2000 
			 Plenary 30 October 2001 
			   
			 Europe 1 March 2001 
			 Europe 8 November 2001 
			 Europe 7 March 2002 
			   
			 Health 7 April 2000 
			 Health 5 June 2000 
			 Health 16 June 2000 
			 Health 26 October 2000 
			 Health 22 October 2001 
			   
			 Poverty 9 December 1999 
			 Poverty 26 May 2000 
			   
			 Knowledge economy 11 February 2000 
			 Knowledge economy 26 May 2000

Ministerial Accommodation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what publicly owned accommodation is made available to her in her official role; how many nights she has been in residence at each of these properties in the last 12 months; and what the total cost was of maintaining each of these properties in the last 12 months.

Helen Liddell: holding answer 9 May 2002
	I do not have an official residence.

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days of sick leave were taken in her Department last year; how many related to employees suffering (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to her Department.

Helen Liddell: In the year to 31 March 2002, 627 days of sick leave were taken in my Department. Details of the causes of absence are not available.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Young People

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Advocate-General on what subjects and on which dates her Department has recently consulted organisations representing young people; and if she will list such organisations.

Lynda Clark: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, at column 573W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Communications Costs

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual budget for communications activities, including press, public relations, marketing and internal communications, was for his Department for each financial year from 1997–98 to 2001–02.

Nick Brown: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Private Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the running costs were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff and (b) his Department in each year from May 1997 to the nearest date for which the information is available.

Nick Brown: Running cost information for The Department for Work and Pensions, created in June 2001 from the merging of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security, is not yet available.
	Departmental running costs, prior to the creation of the Department for Work and Pensions, is accessible in published Department of Social Security annual Appropriation Accounts and, where appropriate, Resource Accounts.
	With regard to information on the Department for Education and Employment, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my Right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills gave on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 114W.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Nick Brown: holding answer 26 April 2002
	No departmental costs have been incurred on voice coaching for Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions. Information on voice coaching for officials is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Nick Brown: holding answer 26 April 2002
	No departmental costs have been incurred on training Ministers in leadership skills in the Department for Work and Pensions. As might be expected in an organisation 130,000 strong, numerous civil servants have received leadership training as part of equipping them for the responsibilities of management. Information on leadership training for officials is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years.

Nick Brown: holding answer 26 April 2002
	No departmental costs have been incurred on training, for ministers, provided by the royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in the Department for Work and Pensions. Information on training for officials by particular providers is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Volunteers

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what loss of benefit is applied by the Benefits Agency on service users who voluntarily assist NHS trusts as a result of being in receipt of out-of-pocket expenses; what plans he has to instruct the Benefits Agency to disregard out-of-pocket expenses received by volunteers assisting NHS trusts from calculations for means-tested benefits; what assessment he has made of the Benefit Agency's rules for eligibility for means-tested benefits on the willingness of service users voluntarily to assist NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: The rules for volunteers already ensure that people do not lose benefit where they are undertaking genuine voluntary work.
	There are no specific instructions to Jobcentre Plus or The Pension Service staff about volunteers who help NHS trusts. However, the treatment of volunteers in the benefit system is clearly set out in benefit legislation and in guidance to staff.
	People of working age can do unlimited voluntary work without it affecting their benefit, as long as the usual entitlement conditions are met. Cases are decided on an individual basis according to the regulations, and people are required to report their participation in voluntary work.
	Payments made to people for expenses incurred while undertaking voluntary work are disregarded in full. However, any payment made on top of that may bring into question the person's status as a volunteer. If the Decision Maker finds that the person is not a volunteer, then they are subject to the normal rules regarding work and earnings.

Young People

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what subjects and on which dates his Department has consulted organisations representing young people; and if he will list such organisations.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department is committed to the new core principles for the involvement of children and young people published by the Minister for Children and Young People in November 2001.
	The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Overseas Pensioners

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Australian Department of Family and Community Services since the termination of the UK-Australia Pension Agreement on 1 March 2001 about the indexation of pensions in Australia; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he (a) has had recently and (b) plans to have with the Governments of those countries with which the UK does not have a reciprocal agreement to uprate pensions annually in line with inflation; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: We have had no recent substantive discussions with any Government on the issue of indexation of pensions.

Access to Work Scheme

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications have been received for Access to Work money in (a) the Edinburgh, East and Borders district, (b) Scotland and (c) England and Wales.

Nick Brown: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The information available is in the table. Before 2001, Access to Work was delivered through a network of Disability Service Teams in Scotland and information on the number of Access to Work applications in Edinburgh, East and Borders district could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Access to Work applications
		
			   Edinburgh, East and Borders Scotland England and Wales 
		
		
			 2000–01 172 892 11,426 
			 1999–2000 — 703 9,083 
			 1998–99 — 485 5,841 
			 1997–98 — 362 4,800 
			 1996–97 — 287 3,352 
			 1995–96 — 792 8,787 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP Access to Work Management Information

Access to Work Scheme

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money Access to Work has granted to applicants in (a) East Edinburgh and Borders, (b) Scotland and (c) England and Wales.

Nick Brown: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The information available is in the table.
	
		Access to Work grants made
		
			  Edinburgh East and Borders (£) Scotland (£ million) England and Wales (£ million) 
		
		
			 2000–01 1.2 million 2.5 29.9 
			 1999–2000 620,847 1.9 22.5 
			 1998–99 379,975 1.4 18.1 
			 1997–98 320,123 1.1 13.5 
			 1996–97 (6)— 0.9 11.6 
			 1995–96 (6)— 1.5 18.4 
			 1994–95 (6)— 1.1 14.6 
		
	
	(6) Not available. Figures on actual spend for Edinburgh East and Borders can be provided only as far back as the 1997–98 financial year.
	Source:
	DWP Access to Work Management Information

Access to Work Scheme

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long the Access to Work scheme has been funded for; if he plans to end the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: holding answer 7 May 2002
	Access to Work has been funded since June 1994, when the programme began.
	There are no plans to end the Access to Work programme. On the contrary, Jobcentre Plus is investing in improvements to the delivery of Access to Work and is implementing changes to improve speed of delivery, consistency of decision-making and aftercare.

Benefit Decision Reviews

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under what circumstances decisions taken on benefits by decision makers are reviewed; and by whom.

Nick Brown: holding answer 10 May 2002
	Decisions taken on benefits can be changed by revision, supersession and appeal. Although there are very limited circumstances when a decision can be revised at any time, the main rule is that a decision would be revised where it is successfully disputed in the month after it has been notified (a period extendable for 12 months where special circumstances apply). The dispute can be made on any ground. A decision would be superseded where there has been a change in the customer's circumstances since the decision was made, or where the decision was successfully challenged outside the one month dispute period on a prescribed ground eg it was made in ignorance of or mistake as to a material fact. A decision can also be changed on appeal by an independent appeal tribunal and by the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners.

Ministerial Accommodation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what publicly owned accommodation is made available to him in his official role; how many nights he has been in residence at each of these properties in the last 12 months; and what the total cost is of maintaining each of these properties.

Nick Brown: holding answer 9 May 2002
	None.

Departmental Policies

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact his Department's policies have had on the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency since 1997.

Nick Brown: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment. We are currently undertaking a fundamental overhaul of the welfare system, transforming it from a passive organisation paying out benefits to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self-sufficient and independent. This is making a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of:
	eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10;
	promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need; and
	combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and future pensioners.
	Child benefit is now worth £15.75 a week for the eldest child and £10.55 a week for other children: nationally about 7 million families receive child benefit, and in Stalybridge and Hyde 11,565 families benefit.
	The number of people in work is at historically high levels of over 28.2 million. Nearly three quarters of working age people are in employment and in Stalybridge and Hyde the proportion in employment currently stands at 75.5 per cent. Unemployment is at levels last seen in the early 1970s. Our new deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over 50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. Nationally well over 600,000 people have been helped into work by the new deals and in Stalybridge and Hyde over 1,300 have been helped into work.
	Older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. This winter (2001–02) we have made available a winter fuel payment of £200 for each eligible household to help with their heaviest fuel bill. We estimate that around 15,700 older people in Stalybridge and Hyde have received a payment this winter.
	We want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country. Our first priority has been to help the poorest pensioners.
	From April 2002 we will be spending an extra £6 billion a year in real terms on pensioners as a result of our policies. This includes £2.5 billion more on the poorest third of pensioners.
	3,500 pensioner families in Stalybridge and Hyde are receiving the minimum income guarantee which helps our poorest pensioners. Some 14,600 pensioners in Stalybridge and Hyde will benefit from this year's increases in the basic state pension of £3 a week for single pensioners and £4.80 for couples. Those over 75, of whom we estimate there are about 6,300 in Stalybridge and Hyde, may qualify for free TV licences.
	Other reforms include the new pension credit in 2003 designed to ensure that pensioners benefit from their savings and the introduction of the state second pension from this April. Both of these initiatives will help provide greater security for tomorrow's pensioners. We have also announced that from October 2003 benefits currently reduced after a hospital stay of six weeks will not be reduced until 13 weeks. This will benefit both pensioners and people of working age.

Social Fund

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many social fund budgeting loans were made in 2000–01.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2000–01, there were 1,145,000 initial Budgeting Loan awards, an increase of 128,000 compared with 1999–2000. While Budgeting Loan applications increased by only 3 per cent, successful applications at the initial stage rose by 13 per cent.
	This corrects figures given in paragraph 17 of the Government's response (Cm 5237) to the third report of the Social Security Select Committee on the social fund, Session 2000–01 (HC232).

Red Cross

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support his Department has given since 1 April 2000 to projects run by the British Red Cross.

Nick Brown: holding answer 26 April 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) on 29 April 2002, Official Report, columns 609–10W.

Hard-to-help Client Groups

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to involve the private sector in Jobcentre Plus and other emerging departmental programmes as a means for the social inclusion of hard-to-help client groups.

Nick Brown: Jobcentre Plus and its predecessor the Employment Service has always involved the private sector in delivering its programmes for unemployed people.
	Its contracted provision including programme centres, worked based learning for adults, basic employability training, short intensive basic skills courses and basic skills independent assessments is largely delivered by contracts with the private sector.
	Under the New Deals, elements of the Gateway, Options and intensive activity period are also delivered by the private sector. In addition, the private sector lead in the delivery of the New Deals in ten areas of the country and there is currently a competition under way for future private sector led New Deal contracts in these areas together with two new areas. In all Jobcentre Plus has several thousand contracts with over 1,000 providers to deliver programmes for individual jobless people. These providers are drawn from the private, voluntary and public sectors; we know that the majority, probably about three quarters of the total are private sector organisations.
	Cross cutting initiatives such as action teams and new programmes such as Progress2Work, Outreach and StepUP will also involve the private sector as do employment zones which are entirely private sector led.

Carers

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of each of his Department's initiatives to encourage carer take-up of the state second pension.

Maria Eagle: Most people will automatically benefit from the state second pension without having to do anything new or different. Our publicity activity therefore focuses on the groups who may not automatically start building up state second pension and may need to take appropriate action. This includes parents as well as carers.
	We have produced information both on our website and as a leaflet to inform these two groups about the state second pension and to outline any action they may need to take to build up entitlement. We are also currently conducting promotional activity for carers and parents about state second pension, which includes press advertising in national and local press and relevant magazines, and direct mail to relevant advisory organisations. The costs for the current phase of the activity (from March to May 2002) are estimated at £750,000, but will be subject to some revisions as the publicity activity is still ongoing. These costs do not include the leaflet or website costs—these items will be available on an ongoing basis.
	We anticipate carrying out further promotional activity in the future to continue to ensure that people are aware of the action they need to take to benefit from the availability of the state second pension.

British Sign Language

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to recognise British Sign Language as a language in its own right.

Maria Eagle: There have been calls for the Government to recognise British Sign Language by specifying it under the Council of Europe's Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Advice is that the charter was not intended to cover indigenous sign languages. However, the Council's Parliamentary Assembly has called on the Council to give sign languages used in Europe a protection similar to that afforded by the charter. The Council is currently considering how that might be done and the Government will respond to any proposals in due course.

Age Positive Campaign

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the impact of the Age Positive publicity campaign, with particular reference to supportive and participating companies based in the Teesside area.

Nick Brown: The Age Positive campaign seeks to promote the message that is makes good business sense to encourage age diverse practices in the work place. It is aimed at all employers and individuals across Great Britain.
	The campaign has used a wide variety of promotional methods to ensure that access to information and guidance is available as widely as possible. A range of media including advertising, PR, website, direct mail and key exhibitions has been used to promote the business benefits of an age diverse work force.
	Findings from the Evaluation of the Code of Practice indicate that between March 1999 and October 2000 the incidence of the use of age in selection halved from 27 per cent. to 13 per cent. In addition companies having a policy against employing older workers dropped from 14 per cent. to 7 per cent.
	Thirty-two Age Positive champions have submitted evidence on their commitment to Age Positive practices and have given active support to the campaign.
	Currently there are no companies in the Teesside area that have offered particular support but we are continually seeking to increase the number and range of Age Positive champions and positive case studies.

Parliamentary Questions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to respond to the questions from the hon. Member for Havant, refs (a) 24239, (b) 28580, (c) 33624 and (d) 33628.

Malcolm Wicks: Replies were given to the hon. Member on 10 April, 22 April, 10 April and 11 April.

Unemployment

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of the measures designed by his Department to reduce youth and long-term unemployment in the Greater London area.

Nick Brown: Since 1997 in London, youth unemployment has fallen by 44 per cent. and long-term unemployment has been cut by three quarters.
	The Department's policies have played an important part in this success. Up to January 2002, the New Deal for Young People had helped 43,765 young Londoners off benefit and into work and New Deal 25 plus had helped 16,612 long-term unemployed people into jobs across the capital.
	In addition, nearly 13,000 people from some of London's most deprived areas have been helped into work through Employment Zones and Action Teams for Jobs.

Unemployment

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact his policies have had on the unemployment level in the Tooting constituency since May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Since 1997 the overall level of unemployment in Tooting has fallen by half and long-term unemployment has been cut by three-quarters. The Department's policies have played an important role in this success. Up to January 2002, the New Deals had helped over 1,000 people into work in Tooting.

Polygamy

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the payment of benefit to polygamous wives resident abroad.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what rules apply for the issuing of benefits to people and their spouses who are given residency in this country and come from cultures where polygamy is culturally acceptable.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 April 2002
	Income-related benefits are not generally payable to, or in respect of, people who are resident abroad, regardless of whether they are in a monogamous or polygamous relationship.
	However, when a person or their partner goes abroad temporarily, Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance already in payment may continue to be paid for the first four weeks of absence. This may be extended to eight weeks if the reason for the absence is to accompany a child for medical treatment abroad.
	In Housing Benefit (HB), entitlement may continue in respect of each member of the household if there is a temporary absence from home of up to 13 weeks: this rule would include, for example, trips abroad to visit relatives or friends. But if the temporary absence is for more pressing reasons, for example medical treatment, HB can continue for up to 52 weeks. This more generous provision recognises the importance of HB in keeping roofs over people's heads.
	These temporary absence rules apply in all HB cases, including those involving polygamous marriages. To make an exception for the latter would be discriminatory.
	The amount of benefit payable includes personal allowances for the benefit recipient and one partner at the appropriate couple rate and, for each other partner, the difference between the higher rate for a couple and the higher rate for a single person. In general there is no financial advantage to claiming for those in polygamous marriages. Having separate claims for a couple and for other members of the marriage would normally result in more benefit being paid. Benefit entitlement for any additional partners is restricted to an allowance which is less than the rate for single people.
	People in polygamous marriages are not entitled to contributory Social Security benefits in respect of their marital partners.

Housing Benefit

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many instances there were of housing benefit fraud, broken down by local authority in England, in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The information available is based on local authorities' reported Weekly Benefit Savings (WBS) where fraud has been established. This information has been placed in the Library.
	Tightening of the WBS criteria in 1998 was followed by a large reduction in the WBS achieved by local authorities in 1998–99 and 1999–2000. To address this, increased rates of additional subsidy were made payable to Local Authorities and a reduced level of penalty was introduced in April 1999.
	In January 2000 the Department announced that it would replace WBS over 2 years from April 2001 with a new anti-fraud incentive scheme that gives greater financial rewards to local authorities for preventing and detecting overpayments and for punishing fraud. Since April this year all local authorities have been operating the new scheme.

Child Support Agency

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents of each constituency are known to the CSA as (a) parents with care and (b) parents without care.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Andrew Turner dated 13 May 2002
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply by me.
	You ask, how many residents of each constituency are known to the CSA as (a) parents with care and (b) parents without care.
	We don't hold information on our systems in that format. I have obtained some information on the constituencies within which the address of parents with care falls by sampling our computer database. I have arranged for a document listed as: Number of Parents with Care held on the Child Support Computer System by Parliamentary Constituency at November 2001, to be placed within the Library. There will be a small degree of error because this is a 5 per cent. sample and the error will be more likely when the figures are less than 500.
	Unfortunately the information for non-resident parents is less reliable because for more of them we do not hold a full post code. I believe that broadly the national distribution of non-resident parents will be the same as that for parents with care.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what systems are in place within the Jobcentre Plus network for pensioners to receive advice and assistance.

Nick Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 652W.

Industrial Action (Jobcentre Plus)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions why he has declined to meet officials of the Public and Commercial Services Union to discuss the health and safety implications for staff of the Jobcentre Plus arrangements.

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations he has had with leaders of the Public and Commercial Services Union regarding recent industrial action taken by their members; and if he plans to meet them following the latest 48-hour strike.

Nick Brown: holding answers 1 and 5 February 2002
	It is for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, as the head of the organisation, to conduct discussions on this issue with the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).
	I am pleased to say that, following the most recent round of discussions, the PCS has, after a ballot of its members, accepted an agreement based on the proposals which Jobcentre Plus management originally put forward last October. These proposals will ensure that Jobcentre Plus operates in a predominantly unscreened environment in line with Government policy.

Crisis Loan Expenditure

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what was the crisis loan expenditure on living expenses (alignment) in each year since 1996; and what such expenditure was expressed as a proportion of crisis loan expenditure.

Malcolm Wicks: pursuant to the reply, 18 April 2002, c. 1119W
	The information is in the table.
	
		Social Fund Crisis Loan expenditure—alignment payments
		
			 Year Total crisis loan expenditure £ million Alignment payment expenditure £ million Alignment payments as a percentage of crisis loan expenditure 
		
		
			 1996–97 52 14 27 
			 1997–98 54 17 32 
			 1998–99 59 20 33 
			 1999–2000 62 23 37 
			 2000–01 65 24 38 
		
	
	Notes
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest £ million.
	2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	Source
	Annual Reports by the Secretary of State on the Social Fund 1996–97 to 2000–01.

WALES

Caernarfon for Healthcare Audit and Inspection

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements are intended for the organisation, operation and accountability of the Caernarfon for Healthcare Audit and Inspection in Wales.

Paul Murphy: The Commission for Health and Improvement (CHI) and the Audit Commission are England and Wales bodies. The First Minister and the Assembly Cabinet are content with the proposals in principle. It will be necessary to make sure that this works properly and effectively for Wales, and these detailed issues will be addressed during the framing of the necessary legislation.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Equipment

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many digital radios are owned by her Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the (a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was.

Kim Howells: holding answer 26 April 2002
	There is no record of any digital radios being purchased by the Department.

Press Subscriptions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by her Department, stating for each subscription the (a) number of copies taken and (b) annual cost.

Kim Howells: holding answer 26 April 2002
	The total annual cost of magazine and periodical subscriptions currently taken by the DCMS Information Centre is £28,275. A list specifying each title taken, the cost per copy and the total annual cost per title has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Film Tax Relief

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which films have been certified by her Department since 1997 as a qualifying film for the film tax relief introduced in the (a) 1997 and (b) 2001 Budgets; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I am arranging for a list of films qualifying as British under the terms of the Films Act 1985 to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Tourism (Advisory Committee)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the mandate of the Advisory Committee for Co-operation in the Field of Tourism is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Tourism Advisory Committee is mandated to facilitate exchange of information, consultation and cooperation on tourism by a Council Decision of 22 December 1986 (86/664/EEC).
	Since May 2001, the committee has met three times and the UK has been represented by officials from my Department. The costs incurred by my Department in travelling to these committee meetings is in the region of £1,300. To disaggregate the costs of the committee from the UK's total contribution to the EU budget would involve disproportionate costs.
	Currently under discussion is a Commission communication and a draft Council resolution on the future of European tourism.
	Accountability and transparency to Parliament is ensured by the submission of Commission and Council documents to parliamentary scrutiny. Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission. As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Commission Document 5685/02). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Works of Art (Indemnities)

Patrick Cormack: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total sum paid to claimants under the Government Indemnity Scheme covering loans of works of art to museums, galleries and other such public institutions has been since the inception of the scheme in 1988.

Kim Howells: holding answer 9 May 2002
	Since 1993–94, the first year after the formation of the Department of National Heritage, a total of £579,161.06 has been paid out to claimants under the Government Indemnity Scheme. Figures for the period 1988–89 to 1992–93 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

All Saints' Church, Kingston

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on English Heritage's decision not to support the restoration of All Saints' Church, Kingston-upon-Thames; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I am aware of the strength of local support for the restoration of All Saints' Church. It is for English Heritage or the Heritage Lottery Fund to make a decision on the funding of the grant application. English Heritage are keen to see that the repairs needed to All Saints' Church are carried out and have recently met the vicar and the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) to discuss how to take the matter forward.

Environmental Sustainability

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will list those bids for funding which have been turned down by her Department because they have failed to include a sustainability component in the last five years;
	(2)  if she will list projects which have been funded by her Department in the last five years which have had an environmentally sustainable component, indicating what it is in each case;
	(3)  what steps she has taken to promote environmental sustainability in the last five years;
	(4)  what measures she has taken to encourage public involvement in sustainable initiatives;
	(5)  what indicators her Department uses when assessing the sustainability component of funding bids to her Department.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture Media and Sport is fully committed to sustainable development and promotes environmental sustainability through many of the public bodies it sponsors. These range from Royal Parks, which provide many examples of good practice, to the Science and Natural History museums which are increasingly instrumental in promoting public understanding of, and engagement with, sustainable development. On 30 April 2002, DCMS held a major conference at the Science Museum for representatives of all its sectors to create greater understanding of sustainable development issues and raise awareness of how each can respond to the challenges involved.
	The Department does not directly operate funding schemes; applications for awards, mainly for lottery generated funds, are made to its non-departmental public bodies. Since 1998, DCMS has recommended to lottery distributors that the grants they award further the objectives of sustainable development, covering environmental, economic and social aspects. Bids are judged against the 15 quality of life indicators of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy (1999). As records of unsuccessful bids are not kept by distributors, there is no means of listing which bids were turned down.

Criminal Offences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by her Department since 1997.

Kim Howells: Since 1997, four offences have been created and one abolished in the areas for which the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility.
	The offences created are:
	(a) the failure to post a Special Occasions restriction order notice—article 8(3) of the Regulatory Reform (Special Occasions Licensing) Order 2001 (SI 2001/3937)
	(b) failure to comply with a park trading regulation—s.1 of the Royal Parks (Trading) Act 2000
	(c) two offences of disclosure of information—section 3 of the Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Act 2000.
	The offence repealed was that of failing to post a Millennium restriction order notice under paragraph 6(3) of Schedule 8B to the Licensing Act 1964, which was repealed by paragraph 2(6) of the Regulatory Reform (Special Occasions Licensing) Order 2001 (SI 2001/3937).

Maladministration

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many findings there have been of maladministration by ombudsmen with responsibility for agencies under the remit of her Department since 1997.

Kim Howells: Information on the handling of complaints is set out in tabular form by the parliamentary ombudsman each year as an attachment to his annual report. For those complaints where there was evidence of maladministration which warranted a full investigation, the table sets out how many complaints were upheld as being fully or partially justified. Copies of the parliamentary ombudsman's annual reports for the period 1997–98 to 2000–01 inclusive can be viewed in the House Library, or on the parliamentary ombudsman's website at: www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications.

Golden Jubilee

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what policy guidance her Department has issued relating to the flying of the Union flag over public buildings on the occasion of the Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 13 May 2002
	My Department has issued guidance that the Union flag should be flown from central Government buildings from 8am on Saturday, 1 June 2002 to sunset on Tuesday, 4 June 2002 inclusive. Local authorities are not bound by these instructions. Many however, do chose to follow the Government's line and fly the flag on the specified days from their buildings.

Television Subtitling

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what regulations govern (a) the proportion of television programmes that have subtitling and (b) the provision of television services for deaf people.

Kim Howells: Statutory requirements for the provision of subtitling on Channel 3 and Channel 5, and for the provision of subtitling and sign language translation on digital terrestrial television services are included in the 1990 and 1996 Broadcasting Acts respectively. The recently published draft Communications Bill proposes the extension of these services to digital cable and satellite services.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Sunset Clauses

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

Michael Wills: No Bills introduced by this Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses and I have no plans for the future use of such clauses.

Overtime Payments

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what her policy is on overtime payments for staff in her Department.

Rosie Winterton: This answer covers the Headquarters of the Lord Chancellor's Department and Associated Offices (LCDHQ), the Court Service (CS), and Public Guardianship Office (PGO). The standard working week across the Lord Chancellor's Department is 41 hours for offices in London and 42 hours for staff working outside London. Both these figures incorporate a daily lunch break of one hour. Part time and flexible working arrangements are agreed locally.
	Overtime may be worked with prior management authority to carry out specific work that cannot be done within normal working hours. Part time staff and staff with flexible working hours are entitled to claim overtime for hours worked over and above their own personal contracted working week. Staff are entitled to claim time off in lieu as an alternative to claiming overtime.
	Overtime is paid at the rates described as follows:
	LCDHQ Pay Bands A to D/CS Spans 1 to 5/PGO Ranges 1 to 4:
	Monday to Friday—at the hourly rate of time and a half.
	Saturday—at the hourly rate of time and a half plus Saturday premium (equivalent to double time).
	Sunday—double time.
	LCDHQ Pay Band E/CS Spans 6 and 7/PGO Ranges 5 and 6:
	Monday to Friday—at the hourly rate of plain time.
	Saturday—at the hourly rate of plain time plus Saturday premium (equivalent to time and a half).
	Sunday—double time.
	LCDHQ Pay Band F/CS Span 8:
	Staff in these grades qualify for excess hours payments. Additional hours worked by members of staff in this band can be recognised by excess hours payments if 25 or more extra hours are worked over a continuous three week period. The excess hours payment is the recipient's plain time rate.
	PGO Range 7:
	Minimum qualifying period is 25 excess hours over a continuous three week period at plain time rate. Pay Range 7 staff are eligible for weekend premium payments. Staff who have to work excess hours are given the opportunity to take time of in lieu as an alternative to claiming excess hours payment.

Subscriptions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the newspapers subscribed to (a) Monday to Saturday and (b) on Sunday by his Department, stating for each subscription (i) the number of copies taken and (ii) the annual cost.

Michael Wills: holding answer 2 May 2002
	The information that the hon. Member has requested is set out in the table. The first figure after each title is the number of copies taken and the second is the total annual cost:
	
		£ 
		
			 Newspapers Number of copies taken Total annual cost 
		
		
			 Monday to Saturday   
			 Daily Express 2 185.95 
			 Daily Mail 3 301.90 
			 Daily Mirror 1 103.16 
			 Daily Telegraph 2 260.15 
			 Evening Standard 2 347.20 
			 Financial Times 4 994.70 
			 Glasgow Herald 1 57.60 
			 Guardian 3 442.50 
			 Independent 7 1,086.35 
			 Scotsman 1 142.55 
			 Sheffield Star 1 76.80 
			 Star 1 95.90 
			 Sun 2 170.05 
			 Times 20 2,692.40 
			
			 Sunday   
			 Independent on Sunday 1 60.40 
			 Mail on Sunday 1 55.70 
			 News of the World 1 33.10 
			 Observer 1 60.90 
			 Scotland on Sunday 1 31.80 
			 Sunday Business 1 47.00 
			 Sunday Express 1 53.00 
			 Sunday Mirror 1 34.45 
			 Sunday Telegraph 1 53.00 
			 Sunday Times 1 61.10

Subscriptions

Tim Yeo: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by his Department, stating for each subscription (i) the number of copies taken and (ii) the annual cost.

Michael Wills: holding answer 2 May 2002
	The information that the hon. Member has requested is set out in the table. The first figure after each title is the number of copies taken and the second is the total annual cost:
	
		£ 
		
			 Magazines/periodicals  Number of copies taken Total annual cost 
		
		
			 Architect's Journal 1 82.69 
			 Aslib Current Awareness Abstracts 2 402.86 
			 Australian Law Journal 1 234 
			 Bookseller 2 320 
			 British Journal of Criminology 2 282 
			 British Printer 1 75 
			 British Tax Review 2 432 
			 Building 1 110 
			 Bulletin of Legal Developments 1 85.50 
			 Butterworths Family Law Journal (NZ) 1 495 
			 Cambridge Law Journal 5 275 
			 Caterer and Hotel Keeper 1 102 
			 Childright 2 90 
			 Civil Justice Quarterly 6 864 
			 Columbia Law Review 1 66 
			 Common Market Law Review 2 798 
			 Commonwealth Law Bulletin 2 208.54 
			 Commonwealth Lawyer 1 85 
			 Company Lawyer 3 1,035 
			 Computanews 1 25 
			 Computer Weekly 1 110 
			 Computers and Law 4 376.64 
			 Construction News 1 72.50 
			 Consumer Law Today 1 257 
			 Consumer Policy Review 1 150 
			 Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 2 288 
			 Corporate Briefing 1 20 
			 Counsel 20 486 
			 Credit Today 1 60 
			 Criminal Law Week 30 4,350 
			 Design Week 1 138 
			 Digit 2 50 
			 Economist 4 537.60 
			 Edinburgh Law Review 1 80 
			 Equal Opportunities Review 1 236.50 
			 Estates Gazette 7 952 
			 European Human Rights Law Review 8 1,692 
			 European Law Review 1 333 
			 Family Law Quarterly 1 39.20 
			 Financial Regulatory Briefing 4 460 
			 Government Opportunities 1 260 
			 Harvard Law Review 1 49 
			 Health Law for Healthcare Professionals 1 135 
			 House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin 1 48.15 
			 IDS Brief 1 25 
			 Index to Periodical Articles Related to Law 2 325 
			 Insolvency Intelligence 1 245 
			 Insurance Day 1 391 
			 Insurance Law Monthly 1 270 
			 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 1 95 
			 International Family Law 1 121.60 
			 International Journal of Insurance Law 1 79 
			 International Journal of Law & Information Technology 1 99 
			 International Journal of Law & the Family 1 106 
			 International Review of Law, Computers & Technology 1 325 
			 Internet Newsletter for Lawyers 4 160 
			 IRS Employment Review 1 630 
			 Journal of Business Law 1 202.50 
			 Journal of Contract Law 1 29 
			 Journal of Criminal Law 1 139 
			 Journal of International Banking Law 1 595 
			 Journal of Law and Society 1 226 
			 Journal of Legal History 2 480 
			 Journal of Personal Injury Litigation 2 330 
			 Journal of Planning & Environment Law 2 414 
			 JSB Journal 2 80 
			 Juridical Review 1 145 
			 Justice of the Peace 53 9,275 
			 Labour Market Trends 2 19 
			 Law Notes 5 145 
			 Law Quarterly Review 6 675 
			 Law Society's Gazette 7 672 
			 Law Teacher 2 90 
			 Lawyer 20 1,600 
			 Legal Action 27 1,405 
			 Legal Business 2 330 
			 Legal Executive 1 45 
			 Legal Studies 1 65 
			 Litigation Letter 6 1,488 
			 Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 1 150 
			 London Gazette 1 351 
			 The Magistrate 5 150 
			 Magnet 1 85 
			 Managing Information 2 165 
			 Medical Law Review 1 110 
			 Modern Law Review 5 585 
			 New Law Journal 155 25,528.50 
			 New Scientist 2 264 
			 New Statesman 5 481.60 
			 Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 1 75 
			 Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 1 129 
			 Paper Market Digest 1 250 
			 Personal & Medical Injuries Law Letter 1 294 
			 Police Review 1 70 
			 Population Trends 2 135 
			 Practitioner's Child Law Bulletin 1 120 
			 Private Eye 4 96 
			 Professional Negligence 3 345 
			 Project Manager Today 1 32.50 
			 Property Law Bulletin 1 215 
			 Property Week 1 120 
			 Public Administration 1 29.50 
			 Public Law 2 135 
			 Radio Times 1 44.70 
			 RICS Abstracts & Reviews 1 125 
			 RICS Weekly Briefing 1 10 
			 Scots Law Times 3 1,347.30 
			 Social Trends 3 118.50 
			 Socio-Legal Newsletter 2 30 
			 Solicitors Journal 87 6,525 
			 Spectator 4 383.20 
			 Stakeholder 2 78 
			 Statute Law Review 1 115 
			 Taxation 4 187.20 
			 Trading Law 1 290 
			 Trust Law International 1 128.25

Mrs. L Odedra

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the reasons why the appeal papers in respect of Mrs. L. Odedra of ECR/419/00 104792, have not been processed.

Rosie Winterton: I understand that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be writing to my hon. Friend about this matter shortly.

Immigration Cases

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the backlog of immigration cases in the IAA; what the backlog is of cases waiting for decision by an immigration adjudicator; and what the average length of time was for a case to be dealt with from receipt from the Home Office to the hearing in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: The IAA, as of the end of March 2002, was dealing with 4,114 adjudicator appeals, 36 leave to appeal applications and 39 substantive tribunal appeals in relation to immigration cases (not including family visit visas). In each instance, this level of work in progress is within or in line with expectation and hence does not amount to a backlog.
	The average waiting time from receipt of an immigration case to its first substantive hearing for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 is 13.75 weeks.

Public Records

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will arrange for the release to the Public Record Office of pre-1945 records relating to the Royal Family.

Rosie Winterton: The Open Government White Paper (Cm2290, July 1993) states that "Records relating to the Royal Family will be treated in the same way as all other records and only closed for longer than 30 years if they fall into one or more of the three criteria governing closure" (9.22). That practice still applies and the closure criteria used for public records relating to the Royal Family are therefore the same as for all other records. Any public record dating from before 1945 should now be open unless it is subject to one of the closure criteria, requiring a longer period of closure, in which case it will be re-reviewed when the closure period is due to come to an end.

Consultation Document (Making Decision)

Brian Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will place a copy of the consultation document, "Making Decisions: Helping People who have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves" (Cm. 05/2002), published in April, available in the Library.

Rosie Winterton: The consultation document 'Making Decisions: Helping People who have Difficulty Deciding for Themselves' was published on 10 April. Copies of the document were placed in the libraries of both Houses shortly thereafter.

King Edward VIII

Louise Ellman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which departments will be consulted and what criteria will be used to assess the release of the records concerning King Edward VIII.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her previous question on the 1 May 2002, Official Report, column 862W. It is the responsibility for each department which has closed records relating to King Edward VIII to review them for release, in accordance with the standard criteria set out in the Open Government Code.

1901 Census Website

David Chaytor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans she has to resume public access to the Public Record Office's 1901 census website; if she will make it her policy to produce the name index to the 1901 census on CD-ROM; what plans she has to digitise census records prior to 1901; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: QinetiQ Ltd. are the contractors who are responsible for the technical aspects of the 1901 census online. Since the closure of the site QinetiQ have been carrying out technical enhancements and, once this work is completed, rigorous testing will be undertaken on all aspects of the system. The enhancements are intended to make the site sufficiently robust to permit general Internet access and are being carried out with a sense of urgency. However, the most important consideration is to ensure that the service is re-launched successfully. The service will again be made available at designated service centres as part of the general re-introduction of the site. General on-line searches will be available as soon as practicable following testing and availability at the service centres.
	The commercial aspects of the census website are also the responsibility of QinetiQ Ltd., who are currently evaluating the financial viability of producing the 1901 census on CD-Rom, in consultation with the PRO.
	The PRO is planning to make the 1881 and 1891 census returns available on line as part of its wider strategy to digitise its major sources relating to family history by 2005. It is intended that, once the 1901 online census service is working satisfactorily, these plans will be taken forward in the current financial year.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Probation Board

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the Probation Board for Northern Ireland's Business Plan for 2002–03.

Des Browne: The Probation Board's Business Plan for 2002–03 was published on 14 May 2002. The plan sets out the board's key objectives and performance targets for the year. Copies of the plan have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Probation Board

Ian Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the Probation Board for Northern Ireland's Corporate Plan for 2002–05.

Des Browne: The Probation Board's Corporate Plan for 2002–05 was published on 14 May 2002. The plan sets out the long-term strategic goals for the life of the plan. Copies of the plan have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Victims of Violence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on Northern Ireland since Good Friday 1998; how much has been spent on victims of violence; and how this money is being used to help such victims in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: The amount of money spent on Northern Ireland since 1 April 1998 (figures available for full financial years only) by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and Northern Ireland Block:
	
		£ million 
		
			NI block  
			  NIO DEL(7) AME(8) WW(9) 
		
		
			 1998–99 975 4,687 3,534 16 
			 1999–2000(10) 1,026 4,914 3,631 37 
			 2000–01(10) 1,138 5,249 4,965 39 
			 2001–02(11) 1,177 6,002 5,670 (12)0 
		
	
	(7) Departmental Expenditure Limit
	(8) Annually Managed Expenditure
	(9) Welfare to Work
	(10) Devolution began in December 1999 and was suspended between February and May 2000, with the result that in 1999–2000 £4,221,000 for the Northern Ireland Assembly was included in the NIO totals and 2000–01 £1,733,000 for NI Assembly was included in the NIO totals.
	(11) Please note that final figures are not yet available for NIO—therefore, those given are provisional only. Provisional outturn figures are not yet available for the NI block, however the information shown is the "Final Plan Figurework" as at February monitoring.
	(12) Now contained within DEL
	The amount spent on victims of violence generally is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1998, Government have committed over £18.25 million to support victims of the troubles, funding a number of initiatives including:
	£700,000 for a family trauma centre in Belfast which provides therapeutic service addressing the psychological needs of families and young people.
	£300,000 for an educational bursary pilot scheme—for individuals whose education was directly affected by the troubles, 350 people received awards.
	£4 million to the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund with a commitment of a further £1 million for 2003–04.
	The fund has put in place a number of schemes including:
	The small grants scheme
	The chronic pain management scheme
	The respite break scheme
	The wheelchair assessment scheme
	The amputee assessment scheme
	The education and training scheme.
	£225,000 initially for a victim support grants scheme to assist community groups and voluntary organisations to take forward recommendations in the Bloomfield report; and more recently a further £750,000 to extend this small grants scheme.
	£6.1 million core funding for groups who support victims of the troubles.
	£500,000 for initiatives in Great Britain including £250,000 for The Legacy Project. This project aims to identify and meet the needs of victims of the troubles living in Great Britain.
	£1.5 million over the next three years for the development of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
	£1.5 million over the next two years to the devolved Administration's Strategy Implementation Fund to help NI Departments fulfil their commitment to addressing victims' needs. Other initiatives for victims—EU money
	The Northern Ireland Office was responsible for the management of funding to (among other projects) victims groups under measure 4.6 of the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace I). Victims groups received £2.8 million under this measure. In the main funding has been used to provide training and development officers and counselling services to victims and their families.
	Peace II moneys are administered by the devolved Administration. It contains a specific measure for victims with funding of approximately £6.67 million, targeted mainly at retraining and re-employment.
	Criminal compensation for victims
	Since April 1998 to end of March 2002, £87.65 million has been spent in compensation for criminal damage and £193.50 million on criminal injuries. It is not possible to break these figures down into troubles-related and other crime.
	Separate support for security force victims
	Government have established a Police Fund which aims to bring additional assistance to police officers and their families directly affected as a result of terrorism. From this fund £4.2 million was paid in a tax free, lump sum payment to police widows, widowed prior to November 1983, as a direct result of terrorism.
	The Government have funded the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust (PRRT) to a total of £8.1 million (£4.5 million allocated for three-year-period in March 1999 and £3.6 million allocated for further two years, 2002–04). The PRRT was conceived to provide assistance aimed at the rehabilitation of ex-officers who were injured on duty and retraining for those leaving or expected to leave the force.
	Government have made available more than £1 million to the George Cross Foundation to mark the sacrifices and honour the achievement of the RUC. (The George Cross Foundation has taken on responsibility for the establishment of a Garden of Remembrance and a new RUC museum.)

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

Sick Leave

Oliver Heald: To ask the President of the Council how many days of sick leave were taken in his Department last year; how many related to employees suffering from (a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to his Department.

Robin Cook: Information for the year 2001 is not yet available. The latest available figures are for the calendar year 2000. During this period 363 days were lost owing to sickness absence.
	The Privy Council Office is not included in the published annual report 'Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service' but we are fully committed to working to the overall target to reduce the level of sick absence to five days per person by 2003; and reducing the number of working days lost from work-related injury and ill health by 30 per cent. by 2010. The Privy Council Office service delivery agreement confirms this commitment and our requirement to monitor sickness levels quarterly.
	Information on stress and other mental health problems in the form requested is being withheld under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information as the number involved are less than five out of a Department of 40 and could result in an individual being identified.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the sites on which he will seek planning permission for accommodation centres.

Angela Eagle: We will be submitting planning notifications in respect of DSDC Bicester, RAF Newton and QinetiQ Pershore as soon as possible. The notifications will be submitted using the ordinary procedure of Circular 18/84. Consultation with the relevant local authorities will continue, including public meetings.
	Further work is required on the sites at AirWest Edinburgh, Sully Hospital (Glamorgan) and Hemswell Cliff (Lincolnshire) before a decision can be taken on whether to proceed to planning notifications.
	The sites at Hooton Park (Ellesmere Port) and Killingholme (North Lincolnshire) are considered to be unsuitable for the siting of accommodation centres. No planning notifications will be submitted in respect of those sites.
	Site searching has continued since we made our initial announcement, as we said it would. In addition to the sites we have identified ourselves, a number have been put forward by potential bidders. We shall not be putting into the public domain details of such sites unless and until they are considered to be serious prospect for the siting of an accommodation centre.

Asylum Seekers

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will provide milk tokens to asylum seekers with young children;
	(2)  what representations he has received regarding the provision of milk tokens to asylum seekers with young children.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Asylum seekers in receipt of support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) who have a baby are eligible to apply for a one-off maternity payment of £300 to meet the costs associated with the arrival of a baby. In addition the family's level of subsistence is re-calculated. For each child under the age of 16 the family receives £33.50 per week. Children of asylum seekers receive the same level of financial support as those of parents on job seeker's allowance or income support.
	I am aware that the issue of milk tokens to asylum seeking mothers is a concern to many members of this House. In addition, Ministers and officials in NASS have received representations from various groups including Milk for Schools, Save the Children, the Child Poverty Action Group and Bill Morris of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU). We have also received petitions from voluntary agencies such as Refugee Council and Migrant Helpline. We will continue to monitor the level of support provided to asylum seekers and their families.

Asylum Seekers

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether children and their families will be accommodated in separate units within accommodation centres.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 23 April 2002
	Children and their families will be accommodated within family units in accommodation centres, separate from those units accommodating single asylum seekers.

Asylum Seekers

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the factors which led to the decision to grant asylum seekers 70 per cent. of the basic income support to meet their living costs.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 May 2002
	The levels of asylum support for adults are set at 70 per cent. of income support levels because, unlike those in receipt of income support, National Asylum Support Service (NASS)-supported asylum seekers receive free, furnished accommodation, equipped with all necessary utensils, bedding, towels, etc. and with all their utility bills paid by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) on top of their cash subsistence payments. In addition, after six months in receipt of NASS support, asylum seekers are eligible for an additional single payment of £50. Taken as a package, the value of NASS support is broadly equal to the support that was provided to asylum seekers under the previous, cash-based system. The asylum support levels for children are 100 per cent. of the income support levels.

Mohammed Umer

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make inquiries into the passport of Mr. Mohammed Umer of Southend, which is with the IND office in Croydon.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 10 May 2002
	Mr. Umer's documents were sent to his home address by recorded delivery on 9 May 2002.

Dungavel Prison (Visitors)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is practice to fingerprint (a) charity workers, (b) teachers and (c) official visitors who may be visiting Dungavel prison.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 21 January 2002
	Charity workers, teachers and official visitors who visit Dungavel removal centre on official business are not fingerprinted. They are instead required to sign in and out.
	Visitors to individual detainees are fingerprinted on arrival as part of Dungavel's standard security procedures. The record is checked on the departure of the visitor and is then automatically deleted.

Belmarsh Prison

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) national origin and (b) first language is of each (i) convicted and (ii) remand prisoner held in the special secure unit at HMP Belmarsh; what translation facilities are available for prisoners for (A) routine prison administrative and matters connected with good order in the prison, (B) medical examinations, (C) legal visits and (D) family visits; and how many non-English language books (1) are held by HMP Belmarsh and (2) have been borrowed in the past six months by prisoners held in the special secure unit.

Beverley Hughes: The facility at Belmarsh prison is designated as a high secure unit. The number of prisoners currently held in the high secure unit is 34. The national origin of those convicted is Colombian (one); United Kingdom (seven). The national origin of those unconvicted is Algerian (two); Belgium (one): Spanish (one); Egyptian (two); Irish (six); Jamaican (one); Turkish (two); United Kingdom (10). One person has declined to declare a national origin.
	All prisoners in the high secure unit are able to speak English. Translation facilities are currently available in Arabic, Spanish and Turkish to enable prisoners to communicate via the telephone or, where security issues arise, during visits. Belmarsh has continuous translation facilities for attendance at the prison to carry out simultaneous translation of visits and telephone calls. These facilities are also available where there is a need for staff to communicate with a prisoner on a medical or induction interview.
	Belmarsh also has the use of telephone translation facilities. Where circumstances arise, Belmarsh would also use other prisoners speaking the same language to assist in translation, or use staff who are able to speak foreign languages. There is also a contract translation service for use with mail and other written material. No translation service is provided for legal visits, on the grounds that the visiting legal representative would make such arrangements. Induction packs for newly arrived prisoners are available in a limited number of foreign languages.
	Belmarsh has approximately 700 non-English books in the library. Records are not kept to show the number of such books that have been borrowed by prisoners held in the high secure unit. All prisoners have access to the library and may borrow books.

Prisons (Fire Precautions)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the fire precautions that will be required in the contract to build the new women's prison at Ashford, Middlesex.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 7 May 2002
	The draft contract for the new prison at Ashford, Middlesex states that:
	"Generally the risk of accidental fire outbreak in prison buildings is low, due to the constant level of supervision and control. However, the serious consequences of such events, however rare, must be anticipated and controlled. Individual buildings and the site as a whole will be assessed for risk".
	The construction work at Ashford will be in line with existing Prison Service protocols and standards for fire precautions. The contractor is subject to the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (as amended in 1999). In addition, a review into fire safety in prisons is almost complete. As the construction of the prison has not yet started it would be possible to change the specification to incorporate any changes required by the review, including the fitting of sprinklers.

Prisoner Location

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people were moved from local authority secure accommodation to Prison Service establishments in each month since January 2001, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales commission and purchase secure accommodation for remanded and sentenced young people. They have provided the information in the table: the number of young people transferred from local authority accommodation to Prison Service establishments in each month since January 2001, broken down by age and gender.
	
		
			   Age 15  Age 16  Age 17  
			  Male Female Male Female Male Female Total 
		
		
			 2001
			 January 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 
			 February 1 0 1 1 0 0 3 
			 March 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 April 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 May 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 June 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 
			 July 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 August 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 September 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			 October 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 November 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 December 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 
			 2002
			 January 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 
			 February 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 March 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 April 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 
			 May(13) 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			  
			 Total 11 1 6 2 0 1 21 
		
	
	(13) First week

Special Constables

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role of special constables.

John Denham: The proposals in the White Paper "Policing a New Century: A blueprint for Reform" set out a radical and ambitious programme of reform, with the overall aim of reducing crime and the fear of crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. The Government believe that the special constabulary has a key role to play in the fight against crime and the fear of crime. We are accordingly introducing a range of measures to improve the recruitment and retention of specials. These include improvements to the recruitment, training, conditions, management and deployment of specials—focusing their role on intelligence-led patrolling and local crime reduction initiatives.

EU Border Police Force

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the creation of a common EU border police force.

Angela Eagle: The United Kingdom is supportive of closer co-operation between national border authorities of European Union member states, which we believe is one of the ways to tackle the criminal networks responsible for human trafficking and illegal immigration. We are also keen to discuss practical ways of strengthening the European Union's external borders.
	The United Kingdom has given its support to the conducting of a feasibility study, led by the Italian authorities regarding the concept of a European border police. We are awaiting the results of this study. Our Frontiers Protocol entitles us to maintain our frontiers with other member states and the Government have no plans to change their policy.

Police

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is available for targeted policing initiatives.

John Denham: holding answer 17 April 2002
	We have targeted significant levels of resources at forces through the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) to recruit 9,000 officers over and above forces previous recruitment plans in the three years to March 2003. We made available £58.9 million in 2000–01, £151.7 million in 2001–02 with provision of £244.0 million in 2002–03 and £272 million for 2003–04 to meet the estimated continuing cost of officers recruited through the CFF.
	We have made £75 million available since 2000–01 to enhance the policing service in rural areas, including £30 million for 2002–03. Spending Review (SR) 2000 provided a further £30 million for next year. Police authorities receiving the grant must demonstrate in their annual policing plans each year how the resources are used to enhance rural policing and crime reduction and community safety in rural areas.
	The Government are committed to investment in technological support for the police, and to reducing the burden of unnecessary bureaucracy and increasing efficiency. £703 million has been made available since 1999–2000. Key projects funded are AIRWAVE—the new national police communications system; the National Strategy for Police Information Systems—a suite of software applications to improve the recording and delivery of information across the police service and the wider criminal justice system; the National Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems and Police Direct—telephone and e-mail facilities for the reporting of non-urgent crime.
	The estimated amount of central funding for the DNA Expansion Programme from April 2000 to March 2004 is £187 million.
	£30 million has been committed to 60 targeted policing projects under the Crime Reduction Programme since 1999.
	In addition, £4 million has been made available in 2002–03 to the Police Standards Unit to drive up police performance.

Police

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase in funding of (a) Staffordshire police and (b) all police forces in each of the past seven years.

John Denham: The information is set out in the table.
	
		Percentage increase 
		
			 Increase Staffordshire All England and Wales 
		
		
			 1995–96 to 1996–97 8.3 3.7 
			 1996–97 to 1997–98 2.0 2.2 
			 1997–98 to 1998–99 -1.1 3.2 
			 1998–99 to 1999–2000 1.3 2.3 
			 1999–2000 to 2000–01 4.0 3.4 
			 2000–01 to 2001–02 5.1 6.4 
			 2001–02 to 2002–03 (14)3.6 (14)3.5 
		
	
	(14) Figures for 2001–02 are not directly comparable with 2002–03 owing to the changes in funding arrangements for the National Crime Squad/National Criminal Intelligence Service. The figures have been adjusted accordingly.
	Notes:
	1. Total Grant includes Police Principal Grant, Rural Policing Grant, Crime Fighting Fund and the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) Revenue Support Grant (RSG), National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), Standard Spending Assessment reduction grant and Central Support Protection Grant.
	2. Figures for the City of London included within the overall percentage increases for England and Wales include Police Principal Grant only. NNDR and RSG are paid to the City of London Corporation for all services, including the police.

Police

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the additional £180 million being allocated in 2002–03 to address street crime policing and counter-terrorism, referred to on 17 April 2002, Official Report, column 589, will be spent in 2002–03.

John Denham: It is intended that all the additional funding will be spent in 2002–03.

Commonwealth Games (Policing Costs)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to report on its assessment of the bid from Greater Manchester Police for funding of the policing costs of the Commonwealth games.

John Denham: holding answer 8 March 2002
	My right hon. Friend The Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) announced in January 2002 a special grant payment of £3 million to Greater Manchester Police Authority towards the additional costs of policing the Commonwealth games.
	Taking account of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's appraisal of the Police Authority's request for additional support, we have now decided to increase the special grant to a maximum of £5 million, 63 per cent. of the estimated additional costs of policing the games.
	£1.7 million has already been paid to Greater Manchester Police Authority. The balance will be paid after the Commonwealth games, in the light of additional costs incurred.

Correspondence

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling on behalf of Mr. P. J. Wright of Edenbridge, dated 3 December 2001, 7 February 2002 and 15 March 2002.

John Denham: holding answer 2 May 2002
	A reply to the right hon. Member was despatched on 7 May 2002.

Correspondence

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters of the hon. Member for Broxbourne of (a) 6 February, (b) 5 March, (c) 4 April and (d) 1 May relating to her constituent Mrs. Kim Cannon of Wormley.

John Denham: holding answer 8 May 2002
	A reply to the hon. Member was despatched on 7 May 2002.

Appeals

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases with the Appeals Section have not been despatched to the IAT.

Angela Eagle: Appeals to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal (IAT) are lodged directly with the IAT and not with the Appeals Support Section of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND).
	There are, however, an estimated 48,000 appeals lodged with IND that have not yet been sent to the Immigration Appellate Authority. The majority of these are asylum appeals.

Voluntary Organisations (Disclosure)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether the Criminal Records Bureau has carried out a mapping exercise to identify whether the system of disclosures for voluntary organisations and volunteers has full national coverage;
	(2)  whether an open umbrella group which is registered with the Criminal Records Bureau is open to anyone who wants to use it; and what restrictions apply;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the likely costs that will be incurred by voluntary organisations using the disclosure system of the Criminal Records Bureau as a result of charging by umbrella bodies; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  if he will make a statement on the position of funding for voluntary organisations to enable them to access the disclosure system of the Criminal Records Bureau;
	(5)  what steps he is taking to ensure that voluntary organisations who need to obtain a disclosure in respect of staff or volunteers from the Criminal Records Bureau, but cannot (a) find a suitable umbrella body and (b) afford the fee, will be able to do so.

John Denham: Since we announced in February last year that Standard and Enhanced Disclosures would be issued free by the Criminal Records Bureau in the case of volunteers, we have received some representations in favour of the provision of funding, principally to meet start-up expenses, and overhead costs of processing individual applications. Estimates by a number of organisations as to what such costs might be—whether the organisation would be acting on its own behalf or, as an umbrella body, countersigning applications at the request of others—have varied very considerably, depending upon a range of factors including the size of the organisation and the number of applications to be processed.
	We have considered the representations very carefully but are not persuaded that it would be appropriate for Government funding to be made available for this purpose. In guidance for umbrella bodies, the bureau has urged that any charges made for providing the service should be kept to a minimum. Organisations wishing to use an umbrella body are advised to inquire about, and to compare, any such charges.
	We have been determined that all those wishing to access the Criminal Records Bureau's service should have ready means of access. To assist bodies for whom registration in their own right is not appropriate, the bureau has encouraged others to register as umbrella bodies. Up to 23 April 2002, a total of 713 bodies had so registered, including 422 who are prepared to act as "open" umbrella bodies—i.e., countersign applications at the request of others outside their own circle or sector (but possibly subject to a geographical restriction stated by the umbrella body on registration). The Bureau maintains a record of umbrella bodies by geographical area, which shows that there are good numbers of such bodies in each, with the exception of mid-Wales and north Wales where numbers are lower. But organisations seeking the services of an umbrella body are not confined to their own area. Voluntary organisations needing to find an umbrella body should access the Criminal Record Bureau's website www.disclosure.gov.uk, which has an umbrella body search facility, or contact the Criminal Records Bureau direct on 0870 90 90 811. Organisations are continuing to apply for registration, and the number of umbrella bodies will increase. Officials are exploring means of developing the network further.

Retail Crime

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide funding to local retail crime prevention initiatives in (a) town and (b) secondary shopping centres.

John Denham: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 27 June last year the provision of £15 million over three years from the capital modernisation fund to assist small retailers in deprived areas to improve the security of their businesses. £3 million was available in 2001–02 financial year, with a further £6 million in both 2002–03 and 2003–04.
	This money, which is being spent on schemes identified by regional crime reduction directors, in conjunction with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, will be used to help small retailers to improve security. This will be achieved by employing a variety of interventions, including enhancing the security of individual premises and improving the environment of shopping centres. Nearly 3,000 shops in 114 retail schemes in some of the most deprived areas in England and Wales benefited from first year funds. More shops will be assisted in the next two years.
	The Home Office has also supported work undertaken to establish retail crime partnerships by funding a consultant post for the past two years. The consultant has worked closely with the British Retail Consortium to produce a definitive guide on how to establish and run a retail crime partnership and encouraged retailers and other stakeholders in main shopping centre areas to establish partnerships to tackle retail and related crime.
	Funding totalling £223,000 was also given to aid retail crime reduction initiatives under various programmes administered by regional crime reduction directors in the financial year ending 31 March 2002 and a further £86,500 of funding is expected to be disbursed via regional crime reduction directors specifically for retail crime reduction initiatives in the current financial year.
	Other funding under the Crime Reduction Programme, such as the £170 million for schemes for the installation of closed circuit television, particularly in town centres will help to reduce shop theft as well as other types of crime in the locations where it is installed. Other initiatives such as the street wardens schemes will also be of benefit to retailers in the areas where they operate.

Retail Crime

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost of retail crime to (a) business, (b) local authorities and (c) the police in each of the past three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total cost of (a) retail crime and (b) street crime in each of the last three years.

John Denham: The Home Office does not collect information about the cost of retail crime. The British Retail Consortium conducts an annual retail crime survey and the most recent one, published in June 2001, estimated the total retail crime losses in the United Kingdom at £1,481 million in 2000, compared to £1,461 million in 1999. The same survey also indicated that retailers spent £626 million on crime prevention measures in 2000 compared with £554 million in 1999.
	The survey of crime affecting retailers and manufacturers announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 23 April 2002, the results of which should be available next spring, will also provide up to date information about crimes against retailers.
	The best estimates for the total cost of robberies (as a proxy for street crime) for the years 1999–2000 and 2000–2001 are shown in the table and are based on information extrapolated from the British Crime Survey.
	
		
			   £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 2,600 
			 2000–01 2,200 
		
	
	Information is not yet available for 2001–02.

Behaviour Orders

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) child curfew orders, (b) parenting orders and (c) antisocial behaviour orders have been made; and how many breaches of each have taken place resulting in further proceedings in each year since their introduction.

John Denham: No applications have been received to impose child curfew schemes under section 14 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Sections 48 and 49 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, which took effect on 1 August 2001, extended the upper age limit to 15 and allowed the police, as well as local authorities, to initiate schemes. Local areas are assessing the implications of these changes and we know that local consultation is taking place.
	The numbers of Parenting Orders imposed in England and Wales between April 2000 and December 2001, are set out in the table. This information comes from the Youth Justice Board. 40 of the parenting orders imposed following a crime by the child have resulted in breach action.
	
		England and Wales
		
			 Type of order Parenting Order 
		
		
			 Crime 1,268 
			 Education 274 
			 Other 236 
			  
			 Total 1,778 
		
	
	The available information on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) is given in the table.
	
		From 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2001—England and Wales
		
			 Period Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBO)(15) Number of finalised criminal court proceedings within period for breach of an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO)(16) 
		
		
			 1 April 1999 to 31 December 2000 235 (17)81 
			 1 January 2001 to 30 September 2001 231 (18)192 
			 1 October 2001 to 31 December 2001 52 (19)— 
			 Total 518  
		
	
	(15) Issued within period.
	(16) The number of occasions identified on the Home Office court appearance database that an individual has appeared in court for breaching an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) where an outcome resulted.
	(17) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against in a magistrates court for the year 2000. Only those occasions within the sample are included.
	(18) Provisional.
	(19) Not available.

Behaviour Orders

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, in respect of the most recent year for which figures are available, were convicted of a breach of an antisocial behaviour order (a) in Nottingham and (b) in England and Wales; and what penalties they received, distinguishing in each case between offenders (i) over and (ii) under 18.

John Denham: The information requested is contained in the table. The period covered is 1 October 2000 to 30 September 2001. The figures are provisional.
	
		Persons(20) convicted of breaches of antisocial orders in Nottingham and England and Wales, 1 October 2000 to 30 September 2001 (provisional figures)
		
			   Nottinghamshire  England and Wales  
			  Persons aged 10 to 17 Persons aged 18 and over Persons aged 10 to 17 Persons aged 18 and over 
		
		
			 Total found guilty 2 4 83 107 
			 Total for sentence 2 4 83 (21)101 
			 Absolute discharge — — 1 1 
			 Conditional discharge — — 3 1 
			 Fine — — 14 18 
			 Community rehabilitation order — — 2 9 
			 Supervision order — — 10 — 
			 Community punishment order — — 2 6 
			 Attendance centre order — — 8 1 
			 Community punishment and rehabilitation order — — 2 1 
			 Curfew order — — 1 — 
			 Reparation order — — 1 — 
			 Action plan order — — 2 — 
			 Total community sentences — — 28 17 
			  
			 Fully suspended sentence — — — 1 
			 Detention and training order 1 — 35 — 
			 Young offender institution — — — 11 
			 Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment — — — 44 
			 Total immediate custody — — 35 55 
			  
			 Police cells (one day) — 4 — 5 
			 Not separately dealt with 1 — 2 3 
		
	
	(20) A person is counted once for each separate court appearance on which he is found guilty of a breach.
	(21) In six cases the sentences imposed at the Crown court following summary conviction were not yet to hand.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means the Criminal Case Review Commission prioritises its cases; if the Commission distinguishes between persons in prison and those who have been released; and if it distinguishes between those serving short and those serving long-term sentences.

Keith Bradley: Applications from those in custody or at liberty begin their review in date order of receipt dependent on the availability of case information. At stages two and three applications from those in custody begin their review before those at liberty. The Commission considers applications for priority on the following grounds:
	Grave ill health of the applicant, witnesses or family members
	The interests of the Criminal Justice System
	Age of applicants
	Operational effectiveness of the Commission.
	Applicants receiving a Life sentence who are released on licence are treated as if they were in custody. Once a review has begun it continues even if the custodial status of the applicant changes. Applicants released before the review begins move to At Liberty status.

Sentencing

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet representatives of the magistracy to discuss the sentencing of young offenders.

Keith Bradley: holding answer 30 April 2002
	I have no meetings currently planned to meet representatives of the magistracy about this. However, I would be happy to meet with them in the future, diary commitments permitting. I will meet members of the Magistrates' Association on 11 June 2002.

Theft

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has made of whether there is a relationship between the number of burglaries and street robberies in the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The Home Office has not undertaken any research in the past five years that looks specifically at the relationship between the number of burglaries and the number of street robberies.

Racially Motivated Crime

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review policing arrangements with regard to racially motivated crime in (a) Burnley, (b) Oldham and (c) Bradford.

John Denham: The policing arrangements are as follows:
	In Burnley the police have established a Racist Incident Unit with a team of investigators and intelligence officers, tasked with monitoring racist crime and incidents, and providing an in depth level of investigation. In Oldham, a Hate Crime Unit performs the same role, with the ability to pick up on trends of racist crime.
	In Bradford, the policing of racially motivated crime is supported by Community Safety Units. They have community based reporting arrangements: there are currently 29 reporting centres with a further 10 in the pipeline. They are also piloting a system of Lay Panels sitting with the Divisional Commander, who audit all racist crimes and incidents, with the power to request an investigation be re-opened. Although operational policing matters in Burnley, Oldham and Bradford, are the responsibility of the Chief Constables of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire respectively, I recognise the importance of the police to providing an effective response to racially motivated crime.

Personal Safety

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to promote policies for instruction of the general public on personal safety from crime.

John Denham: The Home Office produces a wide range of public information about personal safety and crime prevention. Police crime prevention officers and other crime reduction agencies distribute this material. Information and advice is also available on the Crime Reduction Website www.crimereduction.gov.uk
	In response to rising concern about mobile phone theft the Department has produced a leaflet which is distributed by the police and commercial organisations including Dixons, Virgin and the Carphone Warehouse.
	We have distributed leaflets, doorstickers, videos and posters about distraction burglary directly to the elderly and the professional bodies and carers who work with them.
	Advice about making homes and property secure from burglars, property marking, and specific advice about home security when moving home or going on holiday are also available and distributed by people engaged in crime prevention activity.
	Our very successful vehicle crime campaign, featuring television and radio advertising, provides security advice for motorists. It also involves developing partnerships with appropriate commercial partners to help spread vehicle crime prevention advice. Our research suggests that the campaign is having an impact on motorist behaviour.

Domestic Violence

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of domestic violence were reported to the Metropolitan Police in each of the last three years.

John Denham: Details of the numbers of domestic violence incidents in the Metropolitan Police force area, obtained from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Annual Statistical Return from the force, are given in the following. The definition of domestic violence incidents used for the figures for 1998–99 is as follows:
	"Any form of physical, sexual or emotional abuse which takes place within the context of a close relationship. In most cases, the relationship will be between partners, married, cohabiting or otherwise; or ex-partners".
	The figures for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 used the following definition:
	Any violence between current or former partners in an intimate relationship, wherever and whenever the violence occurs. The violence may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse.
	The figures for 1998–99 are therefore not directly comparable with those for 1999–2000 and 2000–01.
	
		Domestic violence incidents—Metropolitan Police force area
		
			 Year Number of incidents 
		
		
			 1998–99 41,531 
			 1999–2000 77,099 
			 2000–01 91,154

Volunteer Bureaux

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the £1–2 million he has awarded in special grant to voluntary bureaux; and how it will be distributed to each individual office.

Angela Eagle: I agreed an Emergency Fund of £500,000 to support local volunteer bureaux and Councils for Voluntary Service facing imminent closure or the substantial loss of core services due to funding cuts. The crisis situation was identified by the National Association of Volunteer Bureaux (NAVB) and the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service (NACVS) on behalf of their members. The Fund is administered by NAVB and NACVS. Applications were invited from NAVB and NACVS member organisations and assessed by an independent panel using criteria agreed by Government. An announcement detailing which agencies have been awarded grants will be made before the end of May 2002.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average delay for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in relation to (a) deciding claims, (b) the review of such decisions and (c) hearings challenging such decisions in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Bradley: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority advise that, using as the start and finish points the date of receipt of the application for the relevant stage and the date that the decision was issued, the average elapsed times for the period 1 May 2001 to 30 April 2002 were:
	
		Days 
		
			  Elapsed time 
		
		
			 Claims assessment 305 
			 Review 274 
			 Appeal 408

Electronic Tagging

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are electronically tagged in England and Wales.

Beverley Hughes: On 30 April 2002, a total of 362 women were subject to electronic tagging in England and Wales.

Secure Accommodation

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 12-year-old children have been remanded to local authority secure accommodation in the last month.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 9 May 2002
	One 12-year-old child was remanded to local authority secure accommodation in April 2002.

Physical Restraint

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the use of (a) handcuffs and (b) other implements of physical restraint on pregnant women under-18 when visiting hospitals from prison establishments.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The current policy on the use of restraints on pregnant female prisoners is contained within Chapter 37 of the Security Manual (Prison Service Order 1000). All pregnant female prisoners (regardless of age) are subject to a thorough risk assessment before attending hospital for ante-natal checks and giving birth. This is done to assess any escape risks.
	This process allows the Governor the discretion not to use restraints where it is considered that they are unnecessary. In the exceptional circumstances that a female prisoner going to hospital to give birth does require restraints, they will be removed on her arrival at the hospital and not re-applied until her journey back to the prison. A copy of the Security Manual is retained in the Library.

Police Numbers (Spelthorne)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were serving in the Spelthorne Division on 1 January in each of the past five years.

John Denham: holding answer 9 May 2002
	Spelthorne was affected by the boundary changes on 1 April 2000 between the Metropolitan police and Surrey police when the policing of Spelthorne was transferred to Surrey police. The information before April 2000 has therefore been provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Sir John Stevens) and the data for subsequent years provide by the Chief Constable of Surrey police (Mr. Denis O'Connor). The divisional boundaries of the old MPS area for Spelthorne are not coterminous with those of Surrey, consequently like with like comparisons cannot be made.
	
		Spelthorne—police numbers -- Police strength
		
			   Spelthorne North Surrey Division(22) 
		
		
			 31 December 1997 178.4 n/a 
			 31 December 1998 180.8 n/a 
			 31 December 1999 155 n/a 
			 31 March 2001 164.5 256.9 
			 31 December 2001 130.9 186.5 
			 31 March 2002 n/a (23)376.1 
		
	
	(22) On 27 January 2002 the borough of Spelthorne was combined with the boroughs of Elmbridge and Epsom and Ewell to form the new A Division (North Surrey). The borough of Runneymede was transferred from the old North Surrey Division to West Surrey Division on 27 January 2002. Officers were moved in anticipation of these changes and this accounts for the fall in North Surrey numbers between March and December 2001.
	(23) New North Surrey Division including Spelthorne.

Women's Prison (Ashford)

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in the negotiations with the private sector to build and operate a women's prison at Ashford, Middlesex.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 9 May 2002
	The negotiations are continuing in respect of the contract for designing, constructing, managing and financing the new prison at Ashford, Middlesex.

Prisoners (Former Service Personnel)

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in prison have served in the armed forces, not including national service; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 May 2002
	We do not hold this information and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Anti-semitism

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes the Metropolitan police have recorded as being anti-semitic (a) in the last four weeks, (b) in the previous three months and (c) in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 14 May 2002
	Numbers of anti-semitic crimes are not collected separately by the Home Office.
	The Government condemns all acts of anti-semitism in this country. The Government and the police are aware of the concerns of the Jewish community and we have received reports from both the police and community organisations such as the Community Security Trust. We will continue to monitor the situation carefully in co-operation with community organisations.

HEALTH

Orthodontics

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the waiting times in Essex for orthodontist operations.

Hazel Blears: Patients waiting for orthodontic operations will normally be listed under general surgery or plastic surgery. Waiting times for these specialities are shown in the table.
	
		Inpatient waiting data mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust for general surgery and plastic surgery—Data for quarter ended 31 December 2000 and 31 December 2001
		
			 Year (December) Surgery speciality Total number of patients on waiting list Number waiting over 15 months Average (median) waiting time in months 
		
		
			 2000 General 915 12 3.6 
			 2001 General 1,360 0 3.9 
			 2000 Plastic 2,950 82 3.3 
			 2001 Plastic 3,413 25 2.9 
		
	
	Source:
	DH Form KH07

NHS Inspections

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many, and which, NHS organisations were inspected by (a) the Commission for Health Improvement and (b) the Audit Commission in 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: During 2001, the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) began 104 reviews of national health service organisations in England and Wales as part of its routine reviews of local clinical governance arrangements. A list of organisations will be placed in the Library. Further details are also available from the CHI website via www.chi.nhs.uk/eng/cgr/current—rev.shtml
	CHI also commenced or was concluding four investigations during 2001, two of which are still ongoing. Further details are available via www.chi.nhs.uk/eng/inv/ current.shtml
	All NHS bodies are also subject to an annual audit by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission. This currently includes an audit of performance as well as the traditional financial audit.
	Collaboratively, CHI and the Audit Commission published a joint review of the implementation of the Calman-Hine report on cancer services in December 2001. During the course of the review 11 networks, comprising 93 organisations, were visited as study sites. These will be placed in the Library.
	We recently announced our intention to introduce legislation to establish a new independent healthcare inspectorate covering both the NHS and the private sector. The Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection will bring together the health value for money work of the Audit Commission, the work of CHI and the private healthcare role of the National Care Standards Commission. Legislation to establish this new body will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Waiting Times

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of patients waited less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge in the last year;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 966W, if he will publish the waiting times in A and E since August 2001.

Hazel Blears: Management information shows about 77 per cent. of all patients in England spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge between September 2001 and March 2002. This information is unvalidated. September is the first month for which full information is available.

Hearing Aids

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will widen the availability of digital hearing aids by making it possible for private individuals to purchase these from the NHS at the price the NHS has paid for them.

Jacqui Smith: National health service services are provided free at the point of delivery. It is not possible for the NHS to sell digital hearing aids that are provided as part of an NHS service.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the Government's plans regarding the treatment and care of myalgic encephalomyelitis;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the appointment and work of the Medical Research Council's independent scientific advisory group established to further research in the field of CFS/ME;
	(3)  what resources the Government (a) have already made and (b) plan to make available to implement the recommendations of the CFS/ME independent working group's report published on 11 January.

Hazel Blears: The Medical Research Council are in the process of appointing an independent scientific advisory group which will include scientists with expertise in areas such as epidemiology, physiology, immunology, infections, clinical trials and psychological medicine. The advisory group will draw on the working party report and recent expert reviews of the field. It will also take into account the concerns of patients and carers and the interests of consumers generally.
	There are no plans to make extra resources available to implement the chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) independent working group report. It is for primary care trusts in partnership within the local health economy and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to provide services for their local populations, including those patients with CFS/ME.
	The Government response to the working group's report welcomed the publication of the report. We see it as the start of a process of improving awareness and understanding that we hope will lead to improved diagnosis, management and treatment.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Lancaster Moor Hospital for the Bay Community NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Jacqui Smith: The information concerning the former Lancaster Priority Services NHS Trust in relation to the development of the Lancaster Moor Hospital is shown in the table:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 PFI 11,702 
			 Public 12,602 
			 Savings in net present value terms 900 
			   
			 Difference (percentage) 7.1

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Mancunian Community Trust—Primary Care for the Mancunian NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative.

Jacqui Smith: The information concerning the former Mancunian Community NHS Trust in relation to the development of the Primary Care Resource Centre is shown in the table:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 PFI 3,724 
			 Public 3,968 
			 Savings in net present value terms 244 
			   
			 Difference (percentage) 6.15

Smallpox

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what scientific assessments he has carried out of the differences between the Lister and New York strains of the smallpox vaccine.

John Hutton: The choice of smallpox vaccine strain took into account expert advice, under the auspices of a specially convened sub-group of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI).
	The advice of the JCVI sub-group was that there was no difference between the two strains on scientific grounds. Vaccines based on both strains were considered to have been effective in the past.
	However, the JCVI sub-group concluded that there is a greater body of evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of the Lister strain rather than for the New York City Board of Health strain, and that the smallpox vaccine has been challenged in the field more often by the more severe form of smallpox "variola major" with the strain chosen by the UK Government. The JCVI sub-group also recommended that using a different strain of vaccine from that used in the United States offered the greatest safeguard if difficulties arose with the production of either strain ensuring that the alternative strain could act as a fall-back.

Haemophilia

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the process by which the Government will determine whether to make recombinant available to all people with haemophilia; if he will outline the considerations being taken into account in coming to this decision; and if he will indicate when he expects this process to be complete.

Yvette Cooper: The Government is considering whether to make recombinant clotting factors available to all haemophiliacs in England taking full account of representations made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Haemophilia, the Haemophilia Society, the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation and others. A decision will be taken later this year.

Nursing Care Standards

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the standard of (a) medical and (b) nursing care in (i) NHS and (ii) private hospitals.

Hazel Blears: The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) plays a central role in our plans to drive up the quality of care in the national health service. CHI assess systems and processes through clinical governance reviews and comment on where and when they think the potential to deliver good care is compromised.
	CHI has published 102 clinical governance reports on NHS trust.
	Under the Registered Homes Act 1984, which was in force until 31 March 2002, health authorities carried out biannual inspections of the facilities, equipment and staffing levels in private hospitals, but had no powers to assess standards of medical or nursing care.
	On 1 April this year, under the Care Standards Act 2000, the National Care Standards Commission took over the role of registering and inspecting independent health care providers, who for the first time are required to meet national minimum standards, including those for medical and nursing care. The commission is required to provide information about independent health care services to the Secretary of State for Health and to the public, but as it has been operating only since 1 April, it has not yet had time to gather this information.
	We have announced our intention to establish a new tough independent healthcare regulator/inspectorate, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection which will have responsibility for inspecting both public and private health care sectors.

Occupational Therapists

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to increase the availability of occupational therapists to health authorities in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The NHS plan sets out our intention to increase numbers of staff across the healthcare professions. The targets for increasing the size of the workforce include 6,500 more therapists and other health professionals by 2004 over the 1999 baseline. Occupational therapists are included in this target and there are 1,250 more working in the national health service now than there were in 1999. Delivering the NHS Plan, published in April 2002, sets out the expected increase in the workforce. It is expected that there will be 30,000 more therapists and scientists (including occupational therapists) between now and 2008.
	The NHS plan also sets a target for 4,450 more therapists and other key professional staff entering training each year by 2004. Overall since 199697 the number of places available to train as an occupational therapist has increased by 427 (44 per cent.) This will continue to rise as we make further progress towards achieving the NHS plan target.

Occupational Therapists

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many residents per occupational therapist there are in each health authority in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many occupational therapists are employed by each health authority in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested is in the table.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS): Scientific, therapeutic and technical staff employed in the occupational therapy area of work and the ratio per population by health authority area as at 30 September 2001
		
			 Health authority Whole-time equivalents 2000 population figures Residents per occupational therapist Headcount 
		
		
			 England total 11,820 50,187,000 4,250 13,910 
			  
			 QA2 Hillingdon 40 260,700 6,520 40 
			 QA3 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 200 415,200 2,030 220 
			 QA5 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 110 459,800 4,230 120 
			 QA6 Bedfordshire 120 570,300 4,630 150 
			 QA7 Berkshire 140 826,500 5,840 180 
			 QA8 Buckinghamshire 180 702,700 3,910 230 
			 QAD Croydon 30 348,400 10,260 40 
			 QAE East Kent 160 607,100 3,710 206 
			 QAF West Kent 160 984,100 6,340 180 
			 QAG Kingston and Richmond 30 349,600 12,760 30 
			 QAH Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 210 757,000 3,620 240 
			 QAJ Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 260 641,300 2,510 290 
			 QAK East Surrey 150 427,400 2,880 180 
			 QAL West Surrey 190 651,200 3,410 240 
			 QAM East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 180 765,000 4,150 220 
			 QAN West Sussex 140 771,600 5,490 170 
			 QAP Barking and Havering 60 381,200 5,900 70 
			 QAR Brent and Harrow 70 480,300 7,030 80 
			 QAT Camden and Islington 150 379,000 2,460 170 
			 QAV Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 140 700,400 5,050 160 
			 QAW East London and the City 170 642,400 3,740 180 
			 QAX North Essex 240 911,500 3,760 290 
			 QAY South Essex 160 718,400 4,590 180 
			 QC1 South Lancashire 50 312,900 6,480 60 
			 QC2 Liverpool 80 454,200 5,910 90 
			 QC3 Manchester 140 426,500 3,090 160 
			 QC4 Morecambe Bay 90 313,700 3,660 100 
			 QC5 St. Helen's and Knowsley 50 328,100 6,020 60 
			 QC6 Salford and Trafford 150 445,200 2,900 170 
			 QC7 Sefton 90 284,100 3,070 110 
			 QC8 Stockport 60 294,200 4,840 80 
			 QC9 West Pennine 100 471,300 4,830 110 
			 QCC Northamptonshire 120 628,300 5,400 140 
			 QCE Oxfordshire 150 633,400 4,130 190 
			 QCF Suffolk 130 684,300 5,220 160 
			 QCG Barnsley 40 228,600 5,110 50 
			 QCH North Derbyshire 100 372,300 3,900 120 
			 QCJ Southern Derbyshire 160 574,300 3,620 200 
			 QCK Doncaster 90 288,900 3,290 100 
			 QCL Leicestershire 230 947,600 4,120 260 
			 QCM Lincolnshire 90 640,600 7,380 100 
			 QCN North Nottinghamshire 230 388,200 1,720 250 
			 QCP Nottingham 150 647,600 4,200 170 
			 QCQ Rotherham 100 253,100 2,480 120 
			 QCR Sheffield 160 530,100 3,340 190 
			 QCT Bury and Rochdale 60 392,800 6,090 70 
			 QCV North Cheshire 90 314,400 3,560 110 
			 QCW South Cheshire 100 680,400 6,790 140 
			 QCX East Lancashire 100 512,300 4,890 120 
			 QCY North West Lancashire 140 469,800 3,310 170 
			 QD1 North and Mid Hampshire 50 574,000 10,910 70 
			 QD3 Southampton and South West Hampshire 160 552,800 3,480 200 
			 QD5 Somerset 120 498,900 4,150 150 
			 QD6 South and West Devon 170 598,700 3,620 200 
			 QD7 Wiltshire 60 621,200 9,820 80 
			 QD8 Avon 350 1,012,600 2,890 440 
			 QD9 Birmingham 280 1,012,800 3,670 310 
			 QDA Wigan and Bolton 150 577,700 3,780 170 
			 QDC Wirral 100 322,900 3,170 120 
			 QDD Bradford 110 487,500 4,270 130 
			 QDE County Durham and Darlington 90 607,800 7,110 100 
			 QDF East Riding and Hull 110 581,700 5,180 130 
			 QDG Gateshead and South Tyneside 80 350,500 4,150 100 
			 QDH Leeds 180 731,100 3,960 210 
			 QDJ Newcastle and North Tyneside 140 468,100 3,380 160 
			 QDK North Cumbria 70 321,200 4,570 80 
			 QDL South Humber 30 304,900 9,860 40 
			 QDM Northumberland 70 310,400 4,540 80 
			 QDN Sunderland 40 289,300 7,050 40 
			 QDP Tees 150 552,500 3,790 160 
			 QDQ Wakefield 140 317,200 2,270 150 
			 QDR North Yorkshire 170 756,700 4,590 210 
			 QDT Calderdale and Kirklees 160 587,700 3,580 190 
			 QDV Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 110 499,000 4,520 130 
			 QDW Dorset 230 708,200 3,120 280 
			 QDX North and East Devon 160 489,200 3,080 200 
			 QDY Gloucestershire 160 565,600 3,430 200 
			 QEA Coventry 70 304,600 4,570 80 
			 QEC Dudley 60 311,300 5,040 70 
			 QED Herefordshire 50 171,900 3,690 60 
			 QEE Sandwell 50 288,400 6,410 50 
			 QEF Shropshire 110 437,100 4,160 120 
			 QEG Solihull (24) 206,500 (24) (24) 
			 QEH North Staffordshire 140 464,800 3,380 150 
			 QEJ South Staffordshire 90 599,500 6,460 120 
			 QEK Walsall 30 259,400 8,320 30 
			 QEL Warwickshire 90 513,000 5,450 110 
			 QEM Wolverhampton 70 240,200 3,320 90 
			 QEN Worcestershire 120 548,100 4,750 150 
			 QER Cambridgeshire 170 743,600 4,420 200 
			 QET Norfolk 230 806,000 3,550 270 
			 QEV Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 120 681,600 5,480 150 
			 QEW Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 200 854,300 4,220 230 
			 QEX Hertfordshire 120 1,052,300 8,510 160 
			 QEY Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich 100 736,500 7,380 120 
		
	
	(24) There were no occupational therapists employed in the organisation within Solihull health authority as at 30 September 2001.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are round to the nearest 10.
	2. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts.
	3. Residents per occupational therapist is based on wte data.
	4. Occupational therapists are also employed by local authorities.
	Sources:
	1. Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
	2. Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Opioid Prescriptions

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many opioid prescriptions were issued in the UK in each of the past ten years.

Hazel Blears: Information for England is shown in the table. Information for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved Administrations.
	
		Number of prescription items dispensed in the community for opioid analgesics and opioid drugs used in substance dependence, 1991 to 2001 -- Thousand
		
			   Number of prescription items 
		
		
			 1991 3,444 
			 1992 3,705 
			 1993 3,946 
			 1994 4,384 
			 1995 4,918 
			 1996 5,495 
			 1997 6,096 
			 1998 6,722 
			 1999 7,336 
			 2000 8,014 
			 2001 8,766 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The prescription information was obtained from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Total prescriptions include not only prescriptions originating from general medical practitioners in England but also from hospital doctors, nurses, and dentists, provided they were dispensed in the community. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.
	2. Opioid analgesics are those drugs defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 4.7.2, Opioid analgesics. The opioid drugs used in substance dependence are contained within the BNF section 4.10, and are methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone.

Photodynamic Therapy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 April 2002, Official Report, column 1240W, on photodynamic therapy, under what circumstances the NHS will charge patients for photodynamic therapy.

Hazel Blears: Patients should not be charged for photodynamic therapy where it is being provided as an integral part of their national health service treatment.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is currently conducting an appraisal of photodynamic therapy. In the meantime, we have asked NHS bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the technology first became available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of all relevant factors including the available evidence on effect.
	We are expecting NICE to issue guidance to the NHS in July 2002, providing there are no appeals.

Photodynamic Therapy

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people who will go blind in each of the next four years whose sight could be saved by photodynamic therapy.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 16 April 2002
	A study sponsored by the Macular Disease Society in 2001 estimated that there were 182,000 people with age-related macular degeneration with a best eye visual acuity below that judged appropriate for certification as blind or partially sighted. Around 10 to 15 per cent. of those will have the 'wet' type of the condition, for which photodynamic therapy is intended as a treatment. However, it is not possible to say in how many cases the treatment would be effective. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising the effectiveness of the treatment. We are expecting the NICE guidance to be issued to the national health service in July, providing there are no appeals.

Mixed Sex Wards

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mixed sex wards of eight or more there were in England on 1 April.

Hazel Blears: The information is not available in the format requested.
	It is the responsibility of each national health service trust to manage patient admissions in such a manner as to ensure that patient privacy is protected. Guidance on maintaining patient privacy and dignity was issued to the service in 1997 and since then the NHS has been working towards a clear target of eliminating mixed sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of trusts by December 2002.

Repair and Maintenance

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 300W, what figures he collates on repair and maintenance of NHS estates, broken down by region, in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Figures for the repair and maintenance backlog costs for the national health service estate in England, broken down by region over the five years from 199697 to 200001, were reported in my response to the hon. Gentleman on 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 300W.
	These are repeated in the following tables with figures for the year 200001 updated to reflect the outcome of recent data validation.
	
		Total backlog maintenanceold region -- 000
		
			 Old region 199697 199798 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 387,253 427,819 
			 Trent 211,042 234,193 
			 Anglia and Oxford 240,769 288,228 
			 North Thames 768,942 652,985 
			 South Thames 370,659 357,978 
			 South West 227,901 254,959 
			 West Midlands 350,055 391,575 
			 North West 266,485 291,981 
			  
			 Total for England 2,823,106 2,899,717 
		
	
	
		Total backlog maintenancenew region -- 000
		
			 New region 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 539,948 433,016 486,128 
			 Trent 370,185 267,137 256,091 
			 Eastern 262,662 267,398 177,968 
			 London 832,901 796,949 708,697 
			 South Eastern 383,660 409,228 401,196 
			 South West 222,863 165,154 282,225 
			 West Midlands 421,888 435,101 454,432 
			 North West 336,944 334,241 387,131 
			  
			 Total for England 3,371,051 3,108,224 3,153,869

Drug Prescriptions

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of each individual (a) benzodiazepine and (b) antidepressant was prescribed by doctors in England in 2001.

Hazel Blears: The number of items for benzodiazepine and antidepressant drugs dispensed in the community by chemical entity is shown in the table.
	Detailed information on individual preparations dispensed in the community is published in the publication Prescription Cost Analysis: England 2001. The preparations are listed alphabetically within chemical entity by British National Formulary therapeutic class. A copy has been placed in the Library. The data are also available on the internet at www.doh.gov.uk/ prescriptionstatistics/index.htm.
	
		Number of prescription items dispensed in the community: England, 2001 -- Thousand
		
			 Chemical entity Prescription item 
		
		
			 Benzodiazepines  
			 Diazepam 4,502 
			 Temazepam 4,449 
			 Nitrazepam 1,963 
			 Lorazepam 731 
			 Chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride 368 
			 Clonazepam 278 
			 Oxazepam 262 
			 Lormetazepam 194 
			 Loprazolam mesylate 181 
			 Clobazam 101 
			  
			 Total 13,028 
			   
			 Antidepressant drugs  
			 Amitriptyline hydrochloride 4,333 
			 Fluoxetine hydrochloride 4,006 
			 Paroxetine hydrochloride 3,787 
			 Dothiepin hydrochloride 3,031 
			 Citalopram 2,812 
			 Venlafaxine 1,504 
			 Sertraline hydrochloride 1,443 
			 Lofepramine hydrochloride 661 
			 Trazodone hydrochloride 462 
			 Clomipramine hydrochloride 433 
			 Mirtazapine 430 
			 Imipramine hydrochloride 318 
			 Flupenthixol hydrochloride 253 
			 Trimipramine maleate 212 
			 Doxepin 146 
			 Nortriptyline 138 
			 Nefazodone hydrochloride 105 
			 Reboxetine 71 
			 Mianserin hydrochloride 45 
			 Fluvoxamine maleate 37 
			 Phenelzine sulphate 32 
			 Moclobemide 32 
			 Tranylcypromine sulphate 23 
			 Maprotiline hydrochloride 14 
			 Isocarboxazid 5 
			 Tryptophan 5 
			 Amoxapine 4 
			  
			 Total 24,343 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data cover all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered. Information on items dispensed in hospitals is not available.
	2. Benzodiazepines are contained within British National Formulary paragraphs 4.1.1, hypnotics and 4.1.2, anxiolitics. Benzodiazepines within 4.8.1, drugs used in the control of epilepsy, and 4.8.2, drugs used in status epilepticus, are also included as they too are used for anxiety relief. The therapeutic classifications are based on the British National Formulary No. 40, September 2000 version.
	3. Antidepressant drugs are those defined in British National Formulary section 4.3, antidepressant drugs. The therapeutic classifications are based on the British National Formulary No. 40, September 2000 version.

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Hazel Blears: Guidance on data protection and how to handle subject access requests has been available to staff in the Department since January 2000 on the Department's intranet site. The guidance has been regularly updated to reflect changes in organisation or legislation. The three versions, dated 22 December 1999, 24 September 2001 and 6 March 2002 will be placed in the Library as requested.

Parliamentary Questions

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith on 11 January, regarding the potential risks to health caused by the chemical treatment of Christmas trees.

Hazel Blears: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Miss Melanie Johnson) replied to my hon. Friend on 13 May at column 499W.

Quality Protects

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome is of the evaluation of the Quality Protects management action plans submitted to his Department by local authorities.

Jacqui Smith: All local authorities with social service responsibilities submitted their Quality Protects Management Action Plans (MAPs) to the Department of Health by the end of January. The Social Services Inspectorate has now completed its evaluation of the MAPs and I have considered their findings. The MAPs from all 150 local councils have reached an acceptable standard. Therefore, subject to Parliamentary approval of the special grant report, they will receive payment of their allocation of the children's services grant from 200102.

Pesticides

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the link between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's Disease.

Jacqui Smith: The advisory committee on pesticides has recently considered a review of the literature relating to epidemiological studies on Parkinson's Disease and pesticides, and also experiment studies in animals exploring the potential of pesticides to induce the disease. The committee agreed that a more detailed specialist assessment of the epidemiology should be carried out. The pesticides safety directorate is currently exploring ways to take this recommendation forward.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cash releasing efficiency savings NHS trusts and primary care trusts are required to achieve in 200203.

John Hutton: The target for efficiency savings in the National Health Service in 200203 is 2 per cent.

Expenditure (NHS Bodies)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the cash releasing efficiency savings achieved by (a) NHS trusts and (b) other NHS bodies, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) expressed as a percentage of the annual expenditure of those bodies on the basis of the information currently available to his Department in respect of 200101.

John Hutton: Allocations to health authorities are based on an overall assessment of the resources required to cover inflationary pressures and deliver national targets. Allocations to health authorities 200102 were made net of 2 per cent. efficiency savings (equivalent to around 800 million). This means that health authorities needed to achieve the efficiency target to fully fund delivery of national targets and inflation. It is not possible to separately identify the savings made by national health service trusts.

Mental Health (Young People)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to discuss the promotion of mental health in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Ministers in the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills have many regular meetings and child mental health services are raised at many of these meetings. Officials of both Departments meet frequently to discuss multi-agency mental health services for children.
	The promotion of children's mental health and the prevention of mental health problems in childhood are central to many Government programmes. The Department for Education and Skills issued guidance last year specifically addressing mental health promotion in schools, to which this Department contributed. This guidance is designed to increase awareness about children's mental health among teachers and to provide examples of good practice.

Mental Health (Young People)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the need to amend legislation on mental health in order to implement United Kingdom obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Government published the White Paper Reforming the Mental Health Act in December 2000. The White Paper made clear our intention to reform mental health legislation and to bring it into line with the contemporary patterns of care and treatment including the changes and new investment set out in the NHS plan. This included commitment to introduce additional measures to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people with mental health problems where current safeguards are not considered to be sufficiently robust.
	This is a high priority for the Government. New legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Correspondence

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the letter from the hon. Member for Twickenham regarding Mr. Peter Whitbread of 19 April 2001 has not received a reply.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 19 March 2002
	I have now replied to the hon. Member and apologise for the unacceptable delay. His letter of 19 April 2001 was unfortunately misplaced.

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what trend data are available to measure progress against the PSA target for a reduction in serious accidental injury relating to admission to hospital.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The White Paper 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' published in 1999 set a target of a 10 per cent. reduction by 2010 against a baseline of the age standardised hospital admission rate for the financial year 199596.
	Data to monitor the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the rate of hospital admission for serious accidental injury 1 are obtained from information held in the Department's Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) system, which contains details of patients admitted to and treated in NHS hospitals in England. Data are for England.
	The trend data are as follows.
	
		Age standardised hospital admission rate for serious accidental injury
		
			 Financial year per 100,000 population 
		
		
			 199596 314.4 
			 199697 315.6 
			 199798 310.6 
			 199899 315.2 
			 19992000(26) 320.9 
		
	
	(25) Serious accidental injury is defined as an accidental injury resulting in a hospital inpatient stay exceeding three days.
	(26) The 19992000 figure is provisional

Performance Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what trend data are available to measure progress against the PSA target for a reduction in the death rate from accidents.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	The White Paper 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' set a target of a 20 per cent. reduction by 2010 against a baseline of the average age standardised mortality rate for the three years 19959697.
	Data to monitor the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the death rate from accidents and adverse effects are obtained from mortality data published by the Office for National Statistics. Data are for England.
	The trend data are as follows:
	
		Three-year average age standardised
		
			  Period mortality rate per 100,000 population 
		
		
			 199596 to 97 16.24 
			 199697 to 98 16.36 
			 199798 to 99 16.39 
			 199899 to 2000 16.33

Intensive Care Baby Incubators

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive care baby incubators are available for use in the NHS.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 April 2002
	Information on the total number of incubators in the national health service is not collected centrally. As at 31 March 2001, there was 1194 specialist neonatal intensive care cots available for use in the NHS.

NHS Direct

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of call to NHS Direct is over the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 10 April 2002
	It is not currently possible to provide information on what the average length of call to NHS Direct is. NHS Direct measures the performance of its sites in progressing calls received in terms of the time taken for callers to be able to speak to a nurse. The target is that 90 per cent. of callers should speak to a nurse within five minutes.

Hepatitis C

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis his Department has made of the most common ways of contracting hepatitis C.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 29 April 2002
	Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that is transmitted mainly through direct blood to blood contact. Currently the greatest risk of acquiring hepatitis C infection in the UK is through the sharing of blood contaminated needles and injecting equipment among injecting drug users.
	Previously transmission occurred through transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products before the introduction of donor screening and of viral inactivation of plasma products.
	Health care and laboratory workers are at risk of infection by occupational exposure to the blood of infected patients. Infection may be passed from mother to baby and by sexual intercourse but these are generally considered to be less efficient modes of transmission. Tattooing and other forms of skin piercing also present a risk of infection if sterile equipment is not used.

Hepatitis C

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what treatments are available for hepatitis C in the NHS; and how many (a) men and (b) women are receiving treatment for this condition;
	(2)  what percentage of the estimated population infected with hepatitis C have received treatment;
	(3)  what guidance has been provided to PCTs to make provision for the treatment and prevention of hepatitis C.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 29 April 2002
	The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of patients who have or who are receiving treatment for hepatitis C infection. In October 2000, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance to the national health service on the use of Ribavirin and Interferon Alpha in the treatment of hepatitis C. Health authorities and primary care trusts are under a statutory obligation set out in directions, which came into force on 1 January 2002, to provide appropriate funding for treatments recommended by NICE.
	The Department will be considering the need to issue guidance to primary care trusts on the prevention of hepatitis C following consultation on a strategy for hepatitis C later this year, and as part of the action plans set out in the strategy on infectious diseases, Getting Ahead of the Curve.

Hepatitis C

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the expert steering group on hepatitis C set up in 2001 to produce its findings;
	(2)  when he proposes to publish a strategy to combat hepatitis C.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 29 April 2002
	We set up a steering group last year to provide advice on a strategic approach to hepatitis C by bringing together issues relating to prevention, control and treatment. We expect to consult on a strategy for hepatitis C during the summer, which will take account of advice from the steering group.

Delegated Legislation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Miscellaneous Food Additives (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Costs associated with regulatory proposals are considered at the policy development stage. A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is completed for regulatory proposals unless there are no or negligible costs, and sets out the impact, in terms of costs, benefits and risks of the proposed regulation which could affect businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. RIAs are available from the Library.